We know very little about how the arranged marriages known today actually began in India. However, the most prominent theory is that it began around 500 CE. Originally, the woman did have quite a bit of freedom in the idea. One such way of giving her freedom was to invite all the men interested to a wedding hall, and she would pick the one that best piqued her interests with a garland around his neck. Another way was simple mutual consent without witnesses.
However, around 500 CE, the idea that a woman should have any choice was decreasing in popularity. This gave rise to the way that Indian marriages were arranged for years: the woman would have zero freedom in the choice and was expected to be property to her father and then to her husband.
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