JAIMAALA
Jaimaala literally: Mala (garland) of Jai (Vijay, victory.
In ancient timess, the marriages were performed by way of Jaimaala. A competition was arranged for the wedding of a girl (usually from royal family or feudal-type families). These competition, usually, were of heroic, martial or chivalrous actions. The bride would garland the winner of that competition (i.e. the winner will be the husband of the girl). This completed the ceremony of marriage.
Nowadays, the Hindus perform this ceremony as penultimate to the final wedding rituals. In Sikhism, Anand Kaaraj is the complete and the only wedding ceremony; hence, a Sikh can’t perform Jaimaala. It is against the Sikh code of conduct.
(Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)