What is self-respect marriage, the route Anirudh Ravichander and Kavya Maran chose to go for their wedding

Music composer Anirudh Ravichander and Executive Director of Sun TV Network Kavya Maran have brought the concept of self-respect marriage into the spotlight after choosing a traditional wedding in Greece. The couple tied the knot on November 11, in a ceremony that placed mutual commitment and equality at the centre of their union, moving away from conventional priest-led religious rituals.

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Photographs from the wedding showed the couple exchanging chains, while family members and friends blessed their union. Dr T R B Rajaa, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) IT Wing secretary, confirmed their choice in a post on X, explaining that the couple exchanged garlands and chains during the ceremony. The wedding has since prompted curiosity about the tradition and its social significance.

What is a self-respect marriage?

A self-respect marriage, also known as Suyamariyathai Thirumanam in Tamil, is a form of marriage that emphasises equality, individual dignity and mutual consent rather than elaborate religious ceremonies. It does not require a priest to solemnise the union, allowing couples to declare their commitment in the presence of relatives, friends or other witnesses.

Depending on the couple’s preferences, the ceremony may involve exchanging garlands, rings or a thali (mangalsutra). The central idea is that marriage represents a partnership between equals, rather than a relationship defined by rigid social hierarchies or prescribed rituals.

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How did the tradition begin?

The roots of self-respect marriage lie in the Self-Respect Movement launched by social reformer Periyar E V Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu in 1925. The movement challenged caste discrimination, patriarchal customs and social inequalities, advocating rationalism, individual dignity and equal rights.

Periyar questioned the idea that marriage required religious authority or elaborate rituals to be socially meaningful. Supporters of the movement argued that couples should have the freedom to solemnise their union without practices that reinforced caste and gender hierarchies.

The tradition received legal recognition in Tamil Nadu through the Hindu Marriage (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 1967, which introduced Section 7-A into the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. The provision recognises marriages solemnised through specified forms, including declarations of marriage or exchanges of garlands, rings or a thali, in the presence of the required witnesses.

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Why is self-respect marriage significant?

Beyond its simplified ceremony, self-respect marriage represents a broader social reform that places consent, companionship and equality at the heart of a relationship. It also offers an alternative to expensive wedding customs and challenges practices associated with caste discrimination and gender inequality.

By choosing this tradition, Anirudh Ravichander and Kavya Maran have brought renewed public attention to a marriage practice rooted in Tamil Nadu’s social reform history.