Tamil music composer and Sunrisers Hyderabad CEO tied the knot in an intimate wedding ceremony which took place in Greece. Several pictures from the event have surfaced online. In them, the couple is seen opting for a simple, self-respect marriage for their nuptials instead of any traditional rituals.
Anirudh Ravichander and Kavya Maran sealed the deal by exchanging garlands. They also exchanged chains while being surrounded by their family members and close friends. No elaborate Hindu rituals, including sindoor or mangalsutra, were a part of the wedding ceremony.
In a picture, Ravichander was spotted tying a chain around bride Kavya Maran’s neck. It led many people online to wonder what kind of wedding ceremony the couple had held.
Responding to them, Dr T R B Rajaa, IT Wing secretary of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (), revealed that the newlywed couple had a self-respect marriage. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, he wrote, “YES … Kavya and Anirudh garlanded each other… #Thalaivar handed over a chain to Kavya and #Superstar handed over a chain to Anirudh… the bride and groom exchanged chains and an union of hearts was blessed by their friends and family♥️🎊”
Self-respect marriage is rooted in Tamil Nadu’s social reform movement. It is a non-religious wedding ceremony which doesn’t involve Vedic rituals, Brahmin priests, and Sanskrit chants. In simple words, it is a simple form of marriage declared by mutual consent and equality.
Popularly known as Suyamariyathai Thirumanam in Tamil, a self-respect marriage stems from the Self-Respect Movement launched by social reformer Periyar E V Ramasamy.
The idea behind a self-respect marriage was to dismantle deep-rooted caste hierarchies and challenge social inequalities, while questioning the practice of placing religious institutions and authorities at the centre of marriage ceremonies.
It advocated the idea that marriage should be based on the mutual consent and commitment of two individuals rather than being governed by religious customs, rituals or caste-based traditions.
This system eventually gained legal recognition in Tamil Nadu in 1967 after the state amended the Hindu Marriage Act to formally recognise self-respect marriages. Under the amendment, couples could solemnise their marriage without performing conventional religious rites or ceremonies, or having a priest officiate the proceedings.
Instead, the marriage could be conducted through a declaration of their commitment to one another, made in the presence of witnesses.
Meanwhile, Anirudh Ravichander and Kavya Maran will be hosting a grand wedding reception in Chennai soon.
