The tribes and castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, Volume 1 (of 4)Crooke, William
History
The tribes and castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, Volume 1 (of 4)
Crooke, William
Caste -- India -- History; Hindus -- India; Tribes -- India -- History
[Marriage rules.] 4. They have no exogamous or endogamous
sub-divisions. The marriage of first cousins is prohibited, and a man
cannot be married in a family to which during memory a bride from his
family has been married. Difference of religious belief is no bar to
marriage, provided there has been no conversion to another faith, such
as that of Christians or Muhammadans. They can have as many as four
wives at the same time, and may marry two sisters together. An apparent
survival of marriage by capture is found in the ceremony which follows
marriage when the newly-married pair are taken to a tank. The wife
strikes her husband with a thin switch of the acacia (babûl). She is
then brought into the house, where the relations of her husband give
her presents for letting them see her face (munh-dikhâi). The senior
wife rules the household, and those junior to her have to do her
bidding. They live, as a rule, on good terms, and it is only under very
exceptional circumstances that separate houses are provided for them.
The age for marriage varies from seven to twenty. Any marriage is
voidable at the wish of the parties with the approval of the tribal
council. The match is arranged by some relation of the youth with the
help of a Brâhman and barber. When the parties are grown up, their
wishes are considered, but in the case of minors the match is arranged
by their friends or guardians. There is no regular bride price; but if
the girl’s father is very poor the friends of the boy assist him to
defray the cost of the marriage feast. In other cases the girl’s father
is supposed to give something as dowry (jahez). As to the ownership of
this there is no fixed rule; but it is understood that the presents
which the bride receives at the munh-dikhâi ceremony, above described,
become her private property. Leprosy, impotency, idiocy, or mutilation
occurring after marriage are considered reasonable grounds for its
annulment; but if any physical defects were disclosed before the
marriage, they are not held to be a ground for dissolving the union.
Charges of adultery are brought before the tribal council, and, if
proved, a divorce is declared. Divorced women can marry again by the
karâo form; but women divorced for adultery, though such a course is
possible, are seldom remarried in the tribe. Children born of a father
or mother who are not members of the tribe are called lendra, and are
not admitted to caste privileges.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account