– J. N. Daamodhar
This method of marriage, was proposed by Periyar, much before the Governments of Tamil Nadu, as well as Puducherry, enacted the same as Act.
After the DMK party came to power, in the year1967, in Tamil Nadu, Mr.C.N.Annadurai, who was the first Chief Minister of DMK ministry, got this Act passed, in early 1968. It is almost 48 years, since that Act came into being. Subsequently, only Puducherry State has passed this method, as an Act. Other States of India, are yet to adopt this method, as a legally valid procedure, for performing Marriage.
A man and a woman, who want to get married, have to take an Oath, which mentions, that they respect each other. And then, they exchange garlands. If they want, they can exchange, rings also. Tying of Mangal Soothra or Thaali is not a must, to complete this method of marriage. No manthraas, need to be chanted, by a Poojaari, which is the normal custom, in any Hindu marriage. Periyar was against this chanting of manthraas, since no body understands, manthraas, which are recited in Sanskrit, at the time of performing marriage.
Periyar also encouraged, widow remarriages, as well as intercaste marriages.
According to Periyar, the Hindu Society treats, widows inhumanly, by not allowing them to get remarried. whereas, the widower is permitted to get married, without any objection. Hindu society dicriminates, only the widows, for no fault of theirs.
In self respect marriage, since, there is no mangal soothra or thaali, tied at the time of marriage, there is no question of cutting of Thaali or Mangal Soothra, after the husband dies. In Self Respect Marriage, both the man as well as the Woman, are given equal respect.
Hence, it is high time, that the self respect marriage is enacted in all the States of India, so that women will be treated equal to men, after marriage. Tying of Thaali or Mangal Soothra to women amounts to making them slaves to men.
