Are Hindu marriages and Arya Samaj marriages the same?

There is a lot of buzz about Arya Samaj marriages as they have different aspects - hassle free marriage, economical, instant process, open for all castes etc. Arya Samaj has its roots in Vedas which are considered as completely divine and hence, does not differentiate between castes and religions. Arya Samaj Mandirs were established in different parts of the country with a view to eradicate social evils such as child marriage, dowry, untouchability, women discrimination etc. These are some features and beliefs of an Arya Samaj mandir. But what is it that differentiates these from typical Hindu culture and traditions?

Firstly, Arya Samajis do not believe in idol worship. The belief is that God is formless and hence, cannot be defined in any shape or form. The holy books Ramayana and Geeta are read to gain knowledge but not as sacred text books. This is the reason that on the biggest festival of Hindus - Deepavali, lights are lit in Arya Samaj Mandirs but there is no Lakshmi Pooja. While looking Arya Samaj Mandir in Gurgaon, you will also notice that there is no similarity in Arya Samaj mandirs and Hindu temples. A typical Arya Samaj mandir looks like a hall with some photographs of Swami Dayand, founder of Arya Samaj in 1875 and no sign of any bells, deity, offerings.

In Arya Samajmarriages in Gurgaon, Havan is one of the most vital parts of the ceremony. It is held for purification by chanting Vedic mantras. A person who wishes to become Arya Samaji need not be born into it. It is just about your beliefs and values. For non-Hindus, they are converted into Hindus through a simple process called as Shuddhi (purification) and after this, anyone who agrees to subscribes to Arya Samaj values.

Arya Samaj is here to reform the society but this will not be possible without the help and support of people. So, anyone who agrees to the ways and motives of the institution can come ahead and be a part of this revolution in the Indian society.