Diversity in Marriage and Kinship
Cousin Marriages Sociology
(Relevant for Sociology Optional for Civil Services Examination)
Paper 1: Unit-9 Systems of Kinship
Paper 2: Social Structure; Systems of Kinship in India
Cousin Marriages Sociology
Marriage in India is a tapestry woven from the rich threads of diversity. It encompasses a multitude of traditions, languages, religions, and ethnicities. This diversity reflects the country’s long history and the harmonious coexistence of various cultural, social, and religious practices. From the snowy Himalayan north to the tropical south, and from the arid west to the fertile east, India’s diverse landscapes are mirrored in its people’s unique wedding customs. Indian weddings are a vibrant celebration of this diversity, with each region, community, and religion adding its own unique colors and flavors to the matrimonial tapestry. The rituals, ceremonies, and attire vary widely, making every Indian wedding a reflection of the couple’s heritage and beliefs.
Features of Hindu Marriage:
- Sacrosanct Union: Hindu marriage is considered a sacred and lifelong union between a man and a woman. It is a sacrament (sanskara) with deep spiritual and religious significance.
- Meaning and Purpose: The primary purpose of Hindu marriage is to fulfil dharma (duty), kama (desire/love), and praja (progeny). It is seen as a means to fulfill one’s responsibilities, experience love and companionship, and ensure the continuity of the family line. During the wedding ceremony, the couple takes seven symbolic vows (Saptapadi) while walking around the sacred fire. These vows represent various aspects of married life, including love, respect, and shared responsibilities.
- Endogamy: Endogamy is a common feature of Hindu marriage, where individuals are encouraged to marry within their own caste or sub-caste. This practice helps preserve cultural and social traditions within specific communities.
- Consanguinity: Hindu marriage customs often include rules against marrying close blood relatives. The concept of gotra (ancestral lineage) is used to determine consanguinity, and individuals from the same gotra are considered close relatives and prohibited from marrying. However in South India cousin marriage is allowed.
- Dowry: The practice of dowry, where the bride’s family provides gifts, money, or property to the groom’s family, has been prevalent in Hindu marriages. Despite legal restrictions, dowry demands and disputes continue in some regions.
Differences Between North Indian and South Indian Marriages Based on Consanguinity:
North Indian Marriages:
- In North India, especially among communities in states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana, there is a strong preference for endogamous marriages, with individuals marrying within their caste or social group.
- Cousin marriages, particularly those involving first cousins, are less common in North India due to the emphasis on caste endogamy. Marrying within the same gotra is often prohibited.
South Indian Marriages:
- In South India, cousin marriages, including marriages between maternal cross-cousins (the children of a mother’s brother) and sometimes even paternal cross-cousins (the children of a father’s sister), are more prevalent.
- Reasons for Cousin Marriage in South India:
- Preservation of Family Traditions: South Indian communities often place a strong emphasis on preserving their cultural and social traditions. Marrying within the family or community is seen as a way to maintain these traditions.
- Social Cohesion: Cousin marriages can enhance social cohesion within communities by reinforcing family bonds and solidarity. They preserve the practices of Hamula which refers to a kinship-based subunit within a caste or community, fostering social cohesion, preserving traditions, and often practicing endogamy in marriage within the group.
- Astrological Compatibility: Some South Indian families believe that cousin marriages are astrologically compatible, leading to a harmonious married life.
- Economic Considerations: Marrying within the family or community may simplify economic transactions such as the exchange of dowry or gifts, as both families are familiar with each other’s social and economic status. The ritual of Marumakkatha. “Marumakkatha” refers to a kinship system where lineage and inheritance are traced through the female line or mother’s side of the family. It signifies matrilineal descent and inheritance.
- Women safety: there are assumptions that if girls are married in same family among cousins or uncles then women usually remain safe.
Health Risks of Cousin Marriage:
German Royal Family and Health Issues:
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Rules of marriage among Muslims
- Civil Contract : It is said that marriage among Muslims is more of a contract rather than a sacrament like Hindus. Muslim marriage, called nikah, is considered to be a civil contract. C. Sarkar also maintains that marriage among Muslims is a civil contract.
- Its important objectives are control over sex, procreation of children and perpetuation of family, upbringing of children, and ordering of domestic life.
- Religious Duty: It is devotion and an act of ibadat. Jany is, therefore, more correct in maintaining that nikah, though essentially a contract, is also a devotional act.
- Endogamous Group: Muslim society is stratified among different groupse., Shias and Sunnis, Ashraf, Azlaf etc. All these groups are endogamous and inter-marriages among them are condemned and discouraged.
Features of Muslim marriage
- Proposal and its acceptance: The proposal is made by the bridegroom to the bride just before the wedding ceremony in the presence of two witnesses and a Maulvi (priest). For recognizing marriage as sahi (regular), it is necessary that both the proposal and its acceptance must be at the same meeting. Not doing so makes marriage ‘fasid’ (irregular) but not batil (invalid).
- Doctrine of equality: It is a belief in Muslim society that a man should marry a woman of equal rank, for example, a high ranked marry a high-rank woman. There are several conditions of equality under different sects and schools of Muslim law marriage with a person of low status is looked down upon. Similarly, runaway marriages (called kifa) are also not recognized.
- Preference system: The preferential system refers to giving preference first to parallel (chachera and mausera cousin and then to cross-cousin (only mamera but not phuphera). But these days, cousin marriages are discouraged.
- Mahar (dower): it is a custom in marriage refers to money which a wife is entitled to get from her husband in consideration of marriage. Mahar can be specified (fixed) or proper (consider reasonable). It can also be prompt (payable on husband’s death or divorce) or deferred. At one time, the Muslims had a practice of muta (temporary) marriage but that practice has been abolished now.
- Rules of Divorce (talaq): In Muslim society divorce can be given with or without the intervention of the court.
- A woman can divorce her husband only through the court but a man can divorce his wife without approaching the court and by making a single pronouncement during one tuhr (one menstruation period) i.e., one month called Talaqu-e-Ahasan or three pronouncements in three tuhrs (called Talaq-e-Hasan) or three pronouncements in a single tuhr (called Talaq-e-Ul bidat).
- In addition to these three types of divorce, there are three other kinds of divorce too: illa, zihar, and lian.
- In illa, the husband swears by Allah (God) to abstain from sexual relations with his wife for a period of four or more months or for a specified period. After making illa, if he really abstains from sexual inter course, the marriage is considered to be dissolved.
- In zihar, the husband declares in the presence of two witnesses that his wife is like a mother to him. Zihar does not dissolve the marriage but it provides a ground to the wife to sue her husband for divorce.
- In lian, the husband accuses his wife of adultery. This provides ground to wife to approach the court for divorce. Divorce given by mutual consent of husband and wife is called khula (initiated at the instance of the wife) or mubarat (initiative coming from wife or husband).
- After divorce, the wife is not entitled to get maintenance allowance from her husband.
Marriage among Christians
- Endogamous marriage: As among Hindus and Muslims, we find stratification among Christians too. The two groups in which Christians are divided are: Protestants and Catholics. The latter are further subdivided as Latin and Syrian Christians. All these groups and sub-groups are endogamous.
- Religious aspect: Religion also has great significance in Christian marriage. Christians believe that marriage takes place because of the will of God, and after marriage man and woman submerge themselves in each other.
- Objective of marriage: The three objects of Christian marriage are believed to be procreation, escape from fornication (sex relations without marriage), and mutual help and comfort.
- Selection of partner: The marriage partners are selected either by parents, or by children, or jointly by parents and children. However, in 9 out of 10 cases, selection is made and marriage is settled by parents. While selecting partners, the focus is on avoiding blood relations, and giving importance to social status of family, character, education, physical fitness, etc.
- Restrictions on consanguinity and affinity : Christians have no practice of ‘preferred persons’ like the Muslims. They have restrictions on consanguinity and affinity.
- Polygyny and Polyandry: Christians do not permit polygyny and polyandry. Christians practice divorce too, though the church does not appreciate it. The Indian Divorce Act, 1869 refers to the conditions under which divorce may be obtained. The Act covers dissolution of marriage, declaring marriage null and void, decree of judicial separation and restitution of conjugal rights.
- Dowry: There is no practice of dowry or dower among Christians. Remarriage of widows is not only accepted but also encouraged. Thus, Christian marriage is not a sacrament like Hindu marriage but is a contract between a man and a woman life.
Frequently Asked Questions:
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Question: What are the key features of Hindu marriage, and what is the significance of the Saptapadi ritual?
Answer: Hindu marriage is a sacred union with the primary purpose of fulfilling dharma, kama, and praja. The Saptapadi ritual involves the couple taking seven vows representing various aspects of married life.
- Question: How do North Indian and South Indian marriages differ in terms of consanguinity?Answer: North Indian marriages typically emphasize endogamous marriages and discourage cousin marriages, while South Indian marriages, particularly in certain communities, are more open to cousin marriages for reasons such as preserving traditions and social cohesion.
- Question: What are some health risks associated with cousin marriages, and why are these risks higher in populations with a tradition of cousin marriages?Answer: Cousin marriages can increase the risk of genetic disorders due to the sharing of common recessive genes. These risks are higher in populations with a tradition of cousin marriages because of the increased likelihood of both parents carrying the same recessive genetic mutations.
- Question: Describe the significance of Christian marriage and its objectives. How does it differ from Hindu and Muslim marriages?Answer: Christian marriage is seen as a contract with objectives such as procreation, escape from fornication, and mutual help and comfort. Unlike Hindu and Muslim marriages, Christian marriages do not practice dowry or dower, and divorce is permitted.
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Question: How do Christians select marriage partners, and what are the restrictions on consanguinity and affinity in Christian marriages?
Answer: Marriage partners among Christians are often selected by parents or jointly by parents and children. Restrictions in Christian marriages focus on avoiding blood relations and considering social status, character, education, and physical fitness.
Reference: Static Portion
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