Swayamvara, in ancient India, was a practice in which a girl of marriageable age chose a husband from a group of suitors. In this context, "swayam" in Sanskrit means and "vara" means groom. A girl wishing to marry selected auspicious time and venue, and broadcast her intentions. Kings typically sent messengers to outside lands, while commoners simply spread the news within the local community. On the appointed day, the girl garlanded the man of her choice and a marriage ceremony was held immediately.
Examples
Sīta
In the Hindu epicRamayana, King Janak proclaims that Sita will be wed to the man who can lift and string the Shiva Dhanush, calling this feat virya shulka, meaning the cost to be paid by a suitor. Sita marries Rama, the only one strong enough to lift and string the bow.
King Kuntibhoja arranges a swayamvara for his adopted daughter Kunti in the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Many kings and princes from the Aryan region attended her swayamvara. Among them was Pandu, the king of Hastinapura. Kunti chose Pandu as her husband.
Draupadī
For Drāupadī, the daughter of King Drupada of Paanchal in the Mahābhārata, aspirants had to hit a fish's eye with a bow and arrow. This fish was just an image on a rotating wheel placed over a pan filled with oil. The many suitors had to aim using the reflection of the fish in the oil. Only three men of marriagable could do it. They were King Karna of Anga, Hastinapur Prince Arjuna, who was the third among the Pandava, attending incognito, and Prince Krishna of Dwapara. Krishna didn't wish to marry Drāupadī, but attended to ensure Arjuna's success. Though Karna was highly qualified and capable, Drāupadī rejected him, stating that his low birth as a charioteer made him unworthy to marry a god-born princess like her, and so she chose and married Arjuna.
Another famous swayamvara from the Mahabharata is found in the story of Damayanti, who chooses Nala for her husband, against the wishes of the gods.
Modern literature
The Bearded Prince tells the story of Princess Roopali, whose father holds a swayamvara for her to select her groom. Roshani Chokshi's The Star-Touched Queen has the heroine Maya's father stage a swayamvara for her early in the novel.
Kitayun
The Shahnama of Fardausi records a similar tradition in pre-Islamic Iran, of one Kitayun, eldest daughter of the Emperor of Constantinople, selecting the Iranian Gushtasp. With a view to procure a husband for one of his daughters, the Emperor determines to hold a grand assembly of illustrious and wise men for her to see and select from. She does not find a suitable husband in the first assembly and a second one is held, where she places the crown on Gushtap's head. Gushtasp, also known as Vishtaspa, returns to Iran with his bride and is crowned King. Rum was the common name used for the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantine Empire by Middle Eastern people.
