Yes, it's cultural. Everything is cultural/societal.
Indians like arranged marriages where everything is cut dried and paid for before the couple even meet. And they don't mess around beforehand either.
It isn't so much that older women are more desperate, that's a bit daft. Older women have a clue about reality and their interests, so they pursue it. They fend for themselves in the meat market. Younger women don't understand the nature of their position, and mostly they don't need to; i'm afraid if you hadn't noticed, most young women are quite vacuous and life philosophy is not their strong point. In other words, unsurprisingly, it takes age to make a genuinely mature woman.
Of course this is well and good for pick up artists, who if they are worth their salt, should find a strong woman intoxicating - rather than as some suggest, feeling intimidated. The fact of the matter is, the majority of older women who are on the prowl are damaged goods, and beyond occasional enjoyable liasons should become involved with at your severe peril.
Good women tend to be married off beforehand. Cliche but true. If they're older and on the singles scene, they're either screwed up and no good to anyone, repressed widowers, adulterers or incable of holding down a relationship. Or horror of horrors, looking for a husband. None of which bothers you or slows you down, right. Right?