Define the concepts of Descent and Alliance Differentiate between North Indian and South Indian Kinship systems with examples.
Section: A.
Sociology Paper 2023 Analysis.
Relevant for Paper 2: Unit-12 System of Kinship in India
Question 3 (b): Define the concepts of ‘Descent’ and ‘Alliance’. Differentiate between North Indian and South Indian Kinship systems with examples.
(20 Marks)
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Introduction: Definition of Descent and Alliance Main Body: Brief Introduction of North and South Indian Kinship in Context of Irawati Karve and then Highlight Differences Conclusion: On the Lines of Intricate Diversity in Kinship in India Requires the Focus on Contextual Details. |
Introduction:
Descent group
- Descent group refers to a social group whose membership depends upon common ancestor imagined or real. It is the principle whereby a person is socially affiliated with group of his or her parents, grandparents and so on. The individual can simultaneously belong to multiple descent groups, those of two parents, four grandparents and eight great grandparents and so on.
- The practical importance of descent comes from its use as a means for one person to assert rights, duties, privileges, or status in relation to another person, who may be related to the first either because one is ancestor to the other or because the two acknowledge a common ancestor. Descent has special influence when rights to succession, inheritance, or residence follow kinship lines.
Alliance
- In kinship Alliance is generally defined in terms of marital alliances. Where kinship results as a consequence of marriage.
- According to Mandelbaum – ‘Marriage is much more than a sexual union in India as a marriage mobilizes the family’s social resources and through marriage, members renew kin ties or establish new bonds of kinship. It is socially acknowledged and approved.
Main body:
North Indian kinship and South Indian kinship
- Iravati Karve had explained the ideal type of kinship cultural system for which she divided India in different linguistic zones.
- According to Irawati Karve, kinship groups in India have a common language, culture, social practices etc. and there is variation in Kin’s culture in different regions of India.
Difference between North and South Indian kinship systems
- In a southern family, there is no clear-cut distinction between the family of birth, that is, family of orientation and family of marriage, that is, family of procreation as found in the northern family. In the north, no member from Ego’s family of orientation can also become a member of his family of marriage; but this is possible in the south.
- In the north, an Ego (person under reference/study) has some kin who are his blood relatives only and others who are his affinal. In the south blood relatives are affinal kin at the same time.
- In the south, organization of kin is arranged according to age categories in the two groups, that is, older than Ego (tam-mun) and younger than Ego (tam-pin) (tam is ‘self’, mun is ‘before’ and pin is ‘after’).
- In the south, kinship organization is dependent on the chronological age differences while in the north, it is dependent on the principle of generational divisions.
- One of the fundamental distinctions between the two systems lies in their descent patterns. North Indian kinship is predominantly patrilineal, meaning descent is traced through the male line. In contrast, South Indian kinship is often matrilineal, where descent is traced through the female line. However, it’s important to note that these patterns are not absolute, and variations exist within both regions.
- No special norms of behaviour are evolved for married girls in the south whereas in the north, many restrictions are imposed on them.
- Marriage does not symbolize woman’s separation from her father’s house in the south but in the north, a woman becomes a casual visitor to her parent’s family
- The dichotomy of status and sentiments expressed in such northern terms like kanya (unmarried girl), bahu (married girl), pihar (mother’s house) and sasural (husband’s house) are absent in south.
- In the north, marriage is to widen the kinship group while in the south it is to strengthen already existing bonds.
- In South Indian Kinship the taboos prescribed for marriage are that man cannot marry his younger sister’s daughter, a widow cannot marry her husband’s elder or younger brother, that is, levitate is a taboo; a man cannot marry his mother’s sister’s daughter. However levitate is not taboo in north India. In the north marriage is dependent on the chronological age differences rather than the principle of generational divisions.
Conclusion:
It is essential to acknowledge that India’s vast diversity results in a rich tapestry of kinship practices, making generalizations challenging. Understanding kinship systems in India requires sensitivity to local customs, historical contexts, and the complex interplay of cultural factors.
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