Yes, couples back then had arranged marriages only. As much as we'd like to wish otherwise, their opinion was rarely asked when a groom was found. Some princesses were lucky to have choice swayamvars where they would garland the groom of their choice, but even then they hardly knew the men who were invited. It was a blind choice really.
The same goes for Mithila's princesses. Ram and Sita were soulmates, but their marriage too was arranged. Sita would marry whoever strung the bow, and there was none of this drama of asking her permission even after the bow was broken.
Ram and Sita's pushp vatika meeting was from RCM. In Valmiki, they catch a glimpse of each other when Ram is walking through Mithila, and Sita is standing in the balcony of her chamber. They catch a small glimpse before her friends take her away.
The glimpse was merely the union of two souls who recognized their soulmate, but the real challenge still remained in the swayamvar. Until Ram strung the bow, he could not marry Sita.
As for Sita's sisters, their marriages were arranged without them ever getting a glimpse of their husbands. It may seem archaic and wrong to us, but that's how it was back then. We can like it or hate it, but we cannot change history simply to suit our sensibilities.
Most love stories back then happened after marriage. The concept of love before marriage is a more modern one.
comment:
p_commentcount