India Culture, Business, Sports and Food. Get all the buzz in India now

FORMS OF MARRIAGES IN INDIA: PAST & PRESENT 

Marriage is a universal institution through which a man sustains the continuity of his race and attains sexual satisfaction in a socially recognized manner. That is it provides biological as well as psychological satisfaction. It ensures the survival of the group along with its culture.  In earlier times marriage was also a social mechanism designed to create and foster social solidarity. But in contemporary urban society it is highly individualistic and personal.

FORMS OF MARRIAGE 

1. ON THE BASIS OF NUMBER OF MATES

1. Monogamy:- one husband, one wife

2. Polygamy:- one husband,  two or more wives . it is also called Polygyny
3. Polyandry:- one woman:- two or more husbands

2. ON THE BASIS OF GROUPS

1. Endogamy:- Marriage among partners who belong to same group

2. Exogamy :- Marriage is prohibited among partners who belong to  same group e.g. Gotra exogamy, Pinda  exogamy etc

3. ON THE BASIS OF STATUS

1. Hypergamy(Anuloma): Man marrying a woman belonging to a comparatively lower social stratum

2. Hypogamy (Pratiloma): Woman belonging to higher stratum marrying a man belonging to a comparatively lower social stratum.

MARRIAGE AMONG TRIBALS:

As far as the marriages among tribal people are concerned, it is regulated by the observance of certain rules of endogamy, exogamy, Hypergamy, preferential mating and prohibited degrees. Thus, a member of Santhal community marries within his tribe but cannot marry within his clan. The PURUKUKIS of Manipur prefer the cross – cousin marriages. Similarly, in some tribes, the younger brother can keep the widow of his elder brother.  Thus there are various methods of acquiring mates in Indian tribes. But most of the marriages consist of one husband and one wife.

In India, polyandry is practiced among the Todas and Tiyan, of southern India and the Khasias of the sub – Himalayan region. In caste system if a high caste woman marries a low caste man she loses her caste status, which is indicative of a degree of ritual purity. 

Since we have a patriarchal society, the husband enjoys a superior position as compared to the wife. Up to marriage a girl shares her father’s caste and after marriage her husband’s. A man does not lose his caste or ritual purity by marrying a low caste woman, but his offspring may suffer from partial lowering from his father’s caste status. Thus, to prevent a woman from losing caste “MANU” and other ancient law givers prescribed “hypergamous’ marriage, under which a man can marry from his own caste or from below. But “Hypogamy” that is marriage of a woman to a man from a lower caste is not permitted.

There is a universal taboo on sexual relations between closely related kin. It is also prevalent in Hindu castes and tribes in India; it is mainly because of the cultural factor. 

RULES OF MATE SELECTION:

Selection of mates is an important affair in every tribal community. There are various ways of acquiring mates among Indian tribes, in KUKI tribe there is probationary marriage. They permit a young man to live with his would be wife in the latter’s house for weeks together, after which, if they so decide, marry each other. Similarly, marriage by capture has its existence among all tribal communities. It is prevalent among the various tribes of Chotta Nagpur namely HOS, SANTHALS, MUNDAS and GHUMIJAS etc.  Among HOS such marriage is known s OPORTIPE and among GONDS it is know as POSIOTUR. It is also practiced even among those marriages which are negotiated by the consent of respective parents.  

Marriage by purchase is practiced by the payment of bride- price. According to this system, a groom cannot get a bride unless bride- price is not paid. The system prevails among NAGAS, HOS and KHASIAS of sub- Himalayan region. 

The institution of Hindu marriage occupies a prominent place in the social institutions of civilized world. Hindu marriage can be defined as a religious sacrament in which a man and a woman are bound in permanent relationship for physical, social and spiritual purposes of DHARMA (to enter GRAHASTHA ASHRAM), procreation and sexual pleasure. Thus, Hindu marriage is not merely a social contract but a religious sacrament. It results in a more or less permanent relationship between a man and a woman. Its aim is not merely physical pleasure but spiritual advancement. It is not merely an individual function but has a social importance. It exhibits an integral approach to the social institution.  

The Hindu scriptures admit the following 8 forms of marriage.

1. BRAHMA: in this a girl decorated with clothes and ornaments , is given in marriage to a learned and gentle bridegroom. This is the prevalent form of marriage in Hindu society today.
2. PRAJAPATYA: in this the daughter is offered to the bridegroom by blessing them with the enjoyment of marital bliss and fulfillment of DHARMA.
3. ARSHA: this is a form of marriage in which a mendicant used to accept a girl in marriage after giving a cow or bull and some clothes to the parents of the girl.  These articles were not the price of the bride but the indicated the resolve of the mendicant of householder’s life.
4. DAIVA: this form of marriage is where a girl decorated with ornaments and clothes, was offered to the person who conducted the function of a PUROHIT in YAJNA.
5. ASURA:  form of marriage, the bridegroom gets the bride in exchange for some money or articles given to the family members of the bride. Such a form of marriage was conducted in case of the marriage of Pandu with Madri in MAHABHARATA.
6. GANDHARVA: this form of marriage is a result of mutual affection and love of the bride and the bridegroom. An example is that of King Dushyanta with Shakuntala. The ceremonies can be performed after the consummation of sexual relationship between the bride and bridegroom, in gandharva form of marriage.
7. RAKSHAS: this form was prevalent in the age when women were considered to be the prize of war. In this type of marriage, the bridegroom takes way the bride from her house forcibly after killing and injuring her relatives.
8. PAISHACH: In this type a man enters into sexual relationship with a sleeping, drunk or unconscious woman. Such acts were regularized after the performance of the marriage ceremony which took place after the sexual intercourse between the man and woman. This form of marriage has been called to be most degenerate.

The social life of the Muslims is governed by the rules prescribed by their sacred scripture QURAN. The laws of Muslim marriage are based on QURAN. Boys and girls of less than 15 years of age cannot marry without the sanction of their guardians. The marriages among minors or mad persons are declared void. No religious ceremony or formality is required to make marital contact valid if the above mentioned rules are adhered to.

In Muslims traditions, divorce can be obtained by repeating the word TALAK thrice in the presence of at least two witnesses. But a husband has to pay MEHAR that is the settlement made for the wife out of her husband’s property to compensate her. A wife can obtain KHULA from her marriage by giving her husband’s consideration whose consent is essential. If there is mutual separation between husband and wife, it is known as MUBARAT.