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When Did Marriages As Per The Anand Karaj Maryada Start

Tosh

Tarlochan Singh
SPNer
Jan 14, 2009
21
4
Rochester MN
What period did marriages as per the Anand Karaj Maryada start. What it in the 19th century or a period even before that?
 

Harry Haller

Panga Master
SPNer
Jan 31, 2011
5,769
8,194
54
according to wikki,

History of Anand Karaj
The history of the Anand marriage ceremony is traced back to the time of Guru Amar Das (1479–1574), who composed the long 40-stanza hymn "Anand", in the Ramkali measure, suitable to be sung or recited on all occasions of religious importance. His successor, Guru Ram Das, composed a four-stanza hymn, "Lavan", which is recited and sung to solemnize nuptials. During the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his successors, however, this ceremony fell into partial disuse under the renewed Brahmanical influence at court as well as in society.

The Namdhari reform movement of the mid-19th century made the practice of Anand ceremony a vital plank in its programme as did the later, more widely influential Singh Sabha. But there was opposition from the Arya Samajis and priestly classes; the former due to their position that Sikh faith was a sect within the larger umbrella of Hinduism and hence subject to Hindu Marriage Act. The Sikh form of wedding ceremonial eventually received legal sanction through the Anand Marriage Act which was adopted in 1909.

The core of the Anand Karaj (the 'blissful ceremony') is the 'lavan', wherein shabads are sung with the bride and groom circumambulating the Guru Granth Sahib. The ceremony serves to provide the foundational principles towards a successful marriage and also places the marriage within the context of unity with God. Guru Ram Das Ji composed the four stanzas of Lavan to be sung and recited as the core of the Anand Karaj.[5]

In 1579, the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Sahib Ji and Mata Ganga were the first couple to be married through the Anand Karaj ceremony.

The ceremony is now universally observed by the Sikhs.
 

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