MANIPURI MARRIAGES

Manipuri people are simple and largely untouched by the pollution of modern living. They love outdoor life and natural surroundings. The general facial characteristic of the Manipuris are of the Mongolian type. There is a great diversity of the features among them. The people are very good looking, fair, muscular and broad chested. Manipuri girls usually have brownish black hair, brown eyes, fair complexions, straight nose and rosy cheeks.Marriage in society is based on the Hindu pattern and mostly Aryan and non-Aryan elements having certain traditional customs. Out of the eight kind of marriage as referred in the Monu Songhita only Brahma and Kanya or Prajapatya are prevalent in the Society. There is the practice of Gandharva or the secret marriage of Arjuna with Chitrangoda, the princes of Manipur, suggests as the Gandharva style of marriage.