Presently my fiance and I are planning our wedding coming up this year. We are adults who have been independent for years and our parents are no longer alive. I was confused about a form of marriage for us that would express Sanatana Dharma. Then I remembered the Gandharva form of marriage. This would seem to be the answer to what we would like to express in our marriage. We want our marriage to have a spiritual basis to start with and I am very happy with the idea of the Hindu basis of a relationship being friendship and of marriage being a process of seeing the divine in each other and progressing in spiritual understanding. At our age we are no longer interested in all the complications and grandeur of a large expensive wedding. We have recognized in each other our future partners. I think in its best form this is what a love match is and a simpler recognition of each before Deity along with a civil ceremony to make it legal within the laws of our country would be sufficeint. We are not teenagers hoping to elope and avoid parental disapproval.

I elicit response from the forum. I would like to hear your opinion of the Gandharva form. I get the idea that this is controversial, with some people thinking of it as a very inferior form of wedlock, resorted to by couples with low moral standards, movie stars and couples wishing to elope. I would also like to hear you experiences and attittude towards Hindu marriage in general and what rituals you may have participated in whether as a couple or when celebrating weddings with friends or families that are Hindu. Thank you!

Om Jai Kali Ma! Om Namah Shivaya!
Kali Dasi