Swayamvar is an ancient Hindu practice of selecting a husband by a woman from among a number of eligible suitors. The original Sanskrit term 'Swayamvara' is made up of two words - 'swayam' (self) and 'vara' (husband or groom).
In fact, Swayamvar, as a form of marriage, was quite popular in ancient India, especially among the royalty that were in search of brave and righteous men with whom their kingdom could build a relationship. Several princes would accept such invitations and the bride had the ultimate choice to select the chosen one in the Swayamvara ceremony. Hindu legends are replete with such tales that include the marriage of Rama & Sita, Nala & Damayanti, and Prithviraj Chauhan & Sanyukta.
In July 2009, Rakhi Sawant chose to search for her real life-partner through NDTV Imagine's first of its kind reality show. The search for the perfect husband that resulted in over 12,500 proposals, was finally narrowed down to 16 suitable men who made the final round. Finally, Sawant chose Elesh Parujanwala, a business man from Toronto, as her groom. The engagement ceremony will culminate in a grand Indian wedding where Sawant will tie the knot.
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Very Interesting. I did not know that this custom existed in ancient India. People only talk of the oppression of women in India and how arranged marriages occurred. Thanks for the article!