Indian stories/Hindu mythology question

[BrightNShiny]

I’m writing a story and I want to reference an Indian folktale or a Hindu mythological story in which a bride is about to be married to some guy she doesn’t want to be married to, and her true love shows up, busts up the wedding, and they run away together.

The only ones I can think of off the top of my head are the Krishna/Rukmini story and the Gatotkacha story where he breaks up Balarama’s daughter’s wedding (which isn’t really along the lines of what I’m think of).

Any ideas?

[pravnik]

The Graduate Veda?

[pravnik]

Sorry, bad joke. Should have used a smilie, I guess. More seriously, I believe some of the stories about Krishna and Radha involve her being forced to be married to someone else initially.

[Kimstu]

You’re thinking of the tale of Yuva Lakinvara, who came out of the Paschim.

Seriously, I have just the thing: the tale of the 12th-century Rajput king Prithviraj (“Ruler of the Earth”) Raso, and his lover Sanyogita.

The ‘’‘Prithviraj Raso’‘’ was composed by Chand Bardai, Prithviraj’s court poet, who accompanied the king in all his battles. Chand Bardai belonged to the community known as Rao Rajput, whose traditional occupation is to compose poems and ballads in praise of their patrons, based loosely on historical incident; they were poets and scribes who accompanied the armies of their patrons and encouraged and exhorted the warriors to bravery in battle by reciting the great deeds of their illustrious clan forebears. […]

The story of Prithviraj’s exploits spread far and wide and became the subject of much discussion among the nobility. Sanyogita,daughter of Jaichand, fell secretly in love with Prithviraj. Prithviraj had heard of Sanyogita’s unmatched beauty in a poem and decided to meet her in disguise. However, Sanyogita who had seen a portrait of Prithviraj could see through his disguise and decided to meet him personally. She disguised herself as not to be recognized and hence their secret affair began. Her father got wind of this affair and resolved to have her safely wed at an early date. He arranged a Swayamwara, a Hindu ceremony where a maiden selects a husband from a number of suitors who assemble at the invitation of her guardian. Jaichand invited many princes of high rank and heritage, but deliberately failed to invite Prithviraj. To add insult to injury, Jaichand had a statue of Prithviraj made and placed at the door of the venue, thus parodying Prithviraj as a doorman. Prithviraj came to hear of this. He made his plans and confided the same to his lover, Sanyogita.

On the day of the ceremony, Sanyogita emerged from an inner chamber, entered the venue of the swayamwara, walked straight down the hall past the assembled suitors, bypassing them all. She reached the door and garlanded the statue of Prithviraj. The assemblage were stunned at this brash act, but more was to follow: Prithviraj, who had been hiding behind the statue in the garb of a doorman, emerged, put Sanyogita upon his horse and the two ran away with each other.

[Anaamika]

Krishna and Subhadra. No time. Google - will try to be back.

[Kimstu]

@Anaamika

Krishna and Subhadra.

I thought Krishna was Subhadra’s brother, and facilitated her elopement with his cousin Arjuna. She wasn’t about to be married to another man; she just ran away with Arjuna because her family disapproved of the match.

[BrightNShiny]

@pravnik

The Graduate Veda?

Boo! Although I guess it shows there are no new ideas under the sun, huh? No worries about the joke. The stories I’m finding about Radha indicate that she was married off to the other guy instead of running away with her one true love. Did you have a particular story in mind?

Kimstu, I had forgotten about the Prithviraj story. That’s a fun part of the story, although I find the ending of the story so depressing. Maybe I’ll adapt the entire saga into a story in its own right.

Anaamika, I have to agree with Kimstu. The versions I have heard don’t include Arjuna busting up a wedding. Can you clarify?

Thanks for the responses.

[BrightNShiny]

Just thought I’d bump and see if anyone has additional ideas. Thanks.