In an era-defining judgment, Supreme Court of India ruled that a marriage performed through garlanding each other in a lawyer's chamber without any form of ceremony is legally valid. It is based on a case examined by a court in relation to the essential ingredients of a valid marriage under Indian law, from time to time, particularly under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. The court of law pointed out that the intended marriage is more of an obsession than the function of a traditional marriage ceremony itself.Background Case In this case, the couple was involved and without the routine excitement of marriage in the Indian-style climate, they exchanged garlands and vows in the chamber of a lawyer. They subsequently lived as husband and wife but soon encountered some problems on which they engaged into legal battles for litigation where one of the parties challenged the validity of their marriage. The question before the Supreme Court was whether such an informal ceremony could be considered a legally valid marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act. Court Judgment The Supreme Court, while interpreting, referred to Section 7 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, which indicates what kind of ceremonies must take place for a Hindu marriage. The Act says that Hindu marriages can be solemnized following customary rites and ceremonies. One rite that can be easily identified under Hindu law is Saptapadi-the taking of seven steps around the sacred fire. The court recognized the diversity in customs around India, and what makes a marriage may vary significantly with the regions and practices.While ancient rituals like Saptapadi are considered being performed in most cases, it is not at all obligatory that these have to be performed if there existed other customs that declare their consensus to undergo marriage. Legal Implications This judgment is reinforcing the principle that marriage is basically a social and legal organization essentially revolving around the intent and consent of both parties to the marriage. This judgment focuses on the fact that marriage does not get disqualified on the basis of the lack of elaborate rituals if the actions of the couples indicate a clear intention to marry. The decisions conclude the court rules "admit formal marriage only to the extent that it contains elements such as consent rather than conformity with strict ceremonial traditions".