Svayamvara (svayaṃvara)

A svayamvara is a self-choice marriage, in which a princess selects her husband from assembled suitors, often after a test of skill set by her father. The Mahabharata gets three of its major turning points from the institution: Draupadi's bow and revolving fish, Damayanti choosing a mortal over four gods who have taken his shape, and the disastrous contest at Kashi from which Bhishma carries off three princesses by force. The last shows the darker side of the custom, since a svayamvara could always be overridden by a strong enough warrior.