On the day of the Swayamvar, all the suitors would gather at the selected venue and exhibit their skills and qualifications to please the bride.
The bride’s family would choose an auspicious day and time for the event and then broadcast the news to the local community. Swayamvar was a form of marriage prevalent in ancient India where a woman was given the liberty to choose her husband amongst a group of suitors. If we dissect the literal meaning of the word ‘Swayamvar’ in Sanskrit, ‘Swayam’ means self, while ‘var’ means groom. And therefore, their union marks the coming together of similar values that they had acquired in their childhood. Both Lord Ram and Sita Mata were exceptional beings in human form, who were each an epitome of virtues and righteousness. It is a significant event that led to one of the most momentous wars in history, the battle of Lanka.
Seminal works of Indian mythology like The Ramayana, written by the sage Valmiki, and the Ramcharitmanas mention the story of Sita’s Swayamvar at great length.
