The 'Sourath Sabha,' or groom's fair, has been held in Bihar's Mithilanchal area since ancient times, and the practice continues to this day. The controversy about its significance has undoubtedly heated up in the current period.
Gets its name from Village Saurath
Maithil Brahmins initiated this tradition about 700 years ago, in 1310, to maintain safe marriage ties between families.
The Sabha is held on 7 acres of land in the Saurat village of Madhubani district, 6km northeast of town.
Maithil Marriage are decided by panchang i.e. a calender for marriages. This typical fair of Maithil Brahmin grooms occurs in the Mithilanchal area every year in May or June, during which the father of the bride selects the suitable groom and takes it with them.
Instant Decision Making
At this assembly, qualifying brides-grooms are joined by their fathers and other guardians.
Similarly, the girl's side interacts with the grooms to gather complete information about each other's clan. Finally, a decision takes place whether or not the marriage will take place.
Panjikaars The Observers
It's the Panjikaars who play an essential role in the Sarath Sabha. Pankikaars have seven generation records of the marriage relationship between the two families. A Maithili brahmin marriage can not occur if any wedding takes place in seven generations between the families seeking a relationship.
These traditional record keepers and observers in the assembly determines the recognition of a relation. Their role is similar to a marriage registrar in modern laws.
Losing Importance Today
According to locals, the Sarath Sabha used to draw a massive crowd until around two decades ago, but it now seems less appealing. Educated grooms no longer want to sit in this assembly.
Consequently, the youngsters of Mithila[1] are not ready to carry on this tradition any longer. In 1971, about 1.5 million people visited the place for marriage settlement. Until 1991, some 50,000 tourists visited, but the number of tourists has since dramatically diminished.