By Mashum Mollah
Arya Samaj Marriages have become a common choice for couples these days. It is budget-friendly and easy to perform. It gets completed within a few hours. In contrast to the Hindu weddings, Arya Samaj Marriages are performed as per the Vedic rituals. It gets their statutory validation from the Arya Samaj Marriage Validation Act, 1937 and the Hindu Marriage Act. After the marriage gets solemnized as per the Arya Samaj rituals, the couples get a marriage certificate which adds on to the legal validity of these marriages. They need to submit a few documents while booking the temple.
Factors that make Arya Samaj Marriages a common choice among the couples
- Arya Samaj Marriage is a preferred choice for couples who wish to get married in a less flashy manner. It is not caste centric and hence becomes a common choice for couples who perform inter-caste marriage or love marriage.
- Couples prefer this type of marriage due to its simplicity and authenticity. Couples out of their will can perform inter-caste, inter-religion and love marriages with proper Vedic rituals and without any unnecessary constraints. These marriages are recognized and legally valid.
- They are quick, easy and budget friendly. They get completed within 2-4 hours. Certain documents are required at the time of booking of the Arya Samaj temple, this adds on to its legal sanctity.
- This type of marriage is against the practice of dowry. It prohibits give and take of dowry. It also prevents coercive marriages. As various documentary evidence are involved, the couple cannot get forcefully married.
- This marriage also helps in preventing child marriage. Certain documentary evidence is submitted which ensure that the bride is above 18 years of age and the groom is at least 21 years of age.
- Arya SamajMarraiges promote equality. It allows both inter caste as well as inter-religion marriages.
- A certificate is issued after every marriage that takes place in an Arya Samaj mandir. It holds an evidentiary value as it is provided after collecting proper documents and performing religious ceremonies. This certificate aids in the registration of marriage with the registrar. It is valid all over India, but formal validation is required. Marriage needs to get registered even after performing an Arya Samaj Marriage.
What makes a person eligible to perform an Arya Samaj Marriage?
In order for the marriage to be legal, the age of the bride must be above eighteen years. While the age of the groom must be over twenty years of age. Apart from Muslims, Christians, Parsis or Jews, almost all members of the extended faith of Hinduism can perform the ceremonies. This includes members from the Buddhist or Jain communities as well. If you have done the ritual purification process called ‘shuddhi’, you can also perform the marriage. People from faiths other than Hinduism can get married according to Arya Samaj rules by converting themselves to Hinduism first through the Shuddhi ritualization.
Which documents are required by the Arya SamajMandir?
The Arya Samaj temple is required to be pre-booked before the marriage. On the date fixed for contracting the marriage, the couple visits the Arya Samaj temple with the requisite documents, things and two witnesses. These documents include-
- Photographs- Total 4 in Number (2 for the Bride and 2 for the Groom).
- Affidavits (Outlining proof of existing marital status, age of the parties, caste clan and family lineage).
- Government Mandated Proof of Age like a Voting ID card, Aadhar Card, Driving License, etc.
- Two Witnesses- one from each party along with their photo id proofs and passport size photos.
- If the person getting married has lost his earlier partner due to death, then the death certificate needs to be produced.
Apart from the above, the following things should also be available-
- AMangal sutra.
- Garlands for the bride and groom.
- Sweets
After the marriage has been solemnized, the couple receives a Marriage Certificate from the Arya Samaj authorities.
Whether post-Arya Samaj Marriage, the formal registration of marriage is required?
It is imperative to remember that even after solemnizing your marriage as per the Arya Samajrituals, you need to get your marriage legally registered with a registrar of marriages. If you want to use the certificate for Visa purposes, foreign travel and other professional engagements, the respective authorities will not consider the Arya Samaj certificate. You need to get a legally binding Marriage Certificate from the Government of India.
The process of an Arya Samaj Marriage is simple and pocket-friendly. It gets completed within 2-4 hours only. After the marriage gets completed, the couple gets a marriage certificate which is valid throughout India. The couple can further get their marriage registered legally with the help of a lawyer. The marriage certificate issued by the Arya Samaj temple helps in hassle-free registration of marriage.
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