Arranging a Marriage in India

Arranged marriages have been an integral part of Indian society for centuries, and even today people having their marriages planned by their parents and other respected family-members, with the consent of the bride and groom, does occur. Arranged matches were made after taking into account factors such as the compatibility of the couples' horoscopes, the backgrounds of their families (wealth, social standing) and their castes. The institution of marriage in India is considered a very important one. Thus, parents felt that since they were older and wiser than their progeny, they would be able to find a suitable match for their children with more prudence than the latter. Although the institution of arranged marriage has been witnessing a downward trend in metropolitan India, it is still prevalent in rural areas.

Hindu Arranged Marriages
Hindu Dharma accords paramount importance to marriage between two individuals and formulates that a first ever marriage occur between two people found compatible by horoscopes, and only on an auscpicious day, chosen to be compatible with the bride and the groom, with the blessings of the elders and in the presence of God, so that any progeny conceived after such elaborate rituals would be a blessed soul and good human being. Once the parents of both bride and groom agree with each other they will first perform engagement function in which all the relatives and known circle are called from both sides as a witness and to bless, then in that engagement function itself a date is fixed for marriage as per bride and grooms horoscope and astrologically auspicious day, the priest will announce to all that both the family are agreed to the acceptance of marriage of their son/daughter on the particular date. Then in the name of god both the families exchange fruits and cloths as a symbol of happy acceptance.

Horoscopes across Hindu followers widely used for finding a match while some others also use names and dates-of-births (numerology), palm impressions (palmistry) of the bride and the groom are compared to predict whether they would be compatible with each other for as long as both of them are alive, i.e., whether there are any indications of any form of divergence (divorce, separation, extramarital affairs), loss of life or property for either or both, in the future, on account of the influence of one's horoscope over the other.

An auspicious day is chosen in accordance with the religious almanac and the bride and the groom's horoscopes, also if it is moon's phase (ascending is preferred by some) apart from any other logistical consideration.

The wedding is conducted in accordance with Vedic rites and rituals with the invited guests considered to be the 'society' in whose presence the girl is given away in holy matrimony to the boy. From that moment on, he is to consider himself responsible for fulfilling her smallest of small desires to the biggest of them, to the best of his ability. He promises to be faithful to her and to worship the ground she walks on. She in turn is to treat him as her lord and master, her guide and advisor through good and bad, for the rest of her life.

According to Indian custom, a married woman wears the Kungumam (in Tamil) / Sindoor (vermilion) on her forehead, bangles, Thali (in Tamil) / Mangalsutra (Necklace worn around the neck, designed in a standard pattern, different from that of any chain), toe rings, etc.