All You Wanted To Know About Self Respect Marriage Rituals
It is performed in the presence of family, friends, and relatives without the need of an elaborate rituals. It needs the consent of both the parties, with the bride and groom attaining the minimum age required for marriage. The groom must be 21 years old while the bride must be 18 years old
Music composer Anirudh Ravichander and Sunrisers Hyderabad co-owner Kavya Maran tied the knot in Greece on November 11. The photos of the intimate ceremony quickly sparked curiosity online as there was no priest, sacred fire or Vedic chants. Instead, images showed Anirudh placing a chain around Kavya's neck.
Later, DMK IT Wing Secretary Dr. T R B Rajaa cleared the air on X. Responding to a fan's query, he confirmed that the couple opted for a Self Respect Marriage.
What is Self Respect Marriage?
A Self Respect Marriage, also known as Suyamariyathai Thirumanam or Seerthirutha Thirumanam, is a Hindu wedding sans a priest. The non-religious ceremony lays emphasis on mutual consent and partnership between equals, over conventional rituals and rigid social hierachies.
It is performed in the presence of family, friends, and relatives without the need of an elaborate rituals. It needs the consent of both the parties, with the bride and groom attaining the minimum age required for marriage. The groom must be 21 years old while the bride must be 18 years old.
Basing on the couple's choice, the ceremony could involve exchanging garlands, rings or chains. The Tamil Nadu state government legalized the Self Respect Marriage in 1968 by the then Chief Minister Anna Durai.
Ravichander and Kavya chose the Self Respect Wedding that prioritises equal rights to both the parties. As the Self Respect Marriage is legally simplified without ceremonies, it is budget-friendly and time saving too. It can be registered at the government sub registrar offices throughout Tamil Nadu.
The Government Marriage Certificate received under the Self Respect Marriage is valid throughout the world. It can be used for officials purposes like while applying for a family ration card, visa process for any country, adding spouse name in the passport.
Social Reform
The roots of Self Respect Marriage emerge from the Self-Respect movement launched by social reformer Periyar EV Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu in 1925. Periyar, through the movement, challenged caste discrimination, patriarchal customs and social inequalities, preaching individual dignity and equal rights, with rationalism. He argued that couples should have the freedom to solemnize their union, without simply following the tradition that validated caste and gender hierarchies.
By simplifying the rituals, the Self Respect Marriage avoids extravagance, gives prominence to consent, companionship and equality in a relationship.
The Self Respect Marriage was legally recognized in Tamil Nadu through the Hindu Marriage (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 1967, which introduced Section 7-A into the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.
By opting for it, Kavya and Ravichander drew public attention towards a practice rooted in TN's social reform.
