Swayamvar In Bihar: Groom Breaks Dhanush Before Getting Married

Very few things in the world can match up to the grandeur and opulence that an Indian wedding ceremony brings with it. With grooms arriving on horses, brides decked in jewellery befitting a queen, and a guest list that often runs into hundreds, there is a lot to take in at a traditional marriage ceremony. Many of these customs are deep-rooted in India's ancient traditional and religious beliefs. And taking this connection a step ahead is a groom in Bihar, who chose to break a bow, referred to as a dhanush, ahead of his wedding ceremony.

The act was clearly inspired by the Ramayana, where Lord Rama lifted and broke a bow blessed by Lord Shiva at the swayamvar of Sita. A swayamvar, in ancient India, was a practice in which a woman of marriageable age chose a husband from a group of suitors. 

Videos and photos of the incident have gone viral on social media.

According to India.com, the "Dhanush Swayamvar" was organised in Sabalpur East area under Sonpur block of Saran district. However, unlike Lord Rama in the epic, the man in the video was the sole contender for the bride's hand in the wedding.

In the video, the groom is on stage and is seen praying to Lord Shiva before breaking the bow. As soon as the groom breaks the bow, he is showered with flowers by the guests. The bride and groom exchange garlands on stage. Following this, all rituals of the wedding were conducted in line with the wedding of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita as mentioned in the Ramayana, reports said.

For the unversed, in the epic, Lord Rama attends the swayamvar of Goddess Sita and is the only one among the several attendee kings to be able to break the sacred bow, thus winning Goddess Sita's hand in marriage. 

According to Zee News, the wedding was a huge hit in the district. However, the report also mentioned that COVID-19-safety protocols were not followed at the ceremony. This was also evident from the pictures and videos of the ceremony where guests are seen without masks. Many were also seen indulging in celebratory dancing without maintaining any social distancing. 

Tell us what you think of this unique wedding.