In this analysis essay, I will explore the caste of India, the hierarchy of the system and how the separation of its people has influenced marriage practices throughout the country. I’ll also explore how marriage practices are changing amongst the millennial generation and what it could mean for the future.
INTRODUCTION
The caste system is one of the world’s oldest forms of social stratification and has been prevalent in India for thousands of years. Though there has been some debate on the exact origins of the caste system, one thing is evident, with the exception of the second half of the 20th century, very little has changed.
HIERARCHY OF THE CASTE SYSTEM
The division of Indian society is broken up into four groups — Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. At the top of this hierarchy are the Brahmins, who are considered most pure, and consists of priests and teachers. Next are the Kshatriyas, the warriors and rulers. Then the Vaishyas, the farmers, traders and merchants. And lastly, the Shudras, which consist of laborers and peasants.
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Below the Shudra caste are the “Outcaste’s”, also know as the Untouchables or Dalits; they perform the “unclean” jobs such as cleaning up blood and other bodily excrements, cremating the dead, cleaning the sewers and streets; degrading and unsanitary jobs, and therefore are considered to be the most polluted.
For centuries, caste has dictated every aspect of people’s lives, with each group falling into a certain place in the hierarchy. Caste not only dictates one’s occupation, but also their dietary habits and interaction with members of other castes. Rural communities in India are arranged on the basis of caste; the upper and lower castes always living separate from one another, and never sharing resources. Upper castes would never except food or drinks from the Shudras, and one could certainly only marry within one’s own caste.
MARRIAGE PRACTICES
Arranged marriage has been a part of Indian culture since the fourth century and is considered to be the core of Indian society. The practice started as a way of maintaining upper caste families, and eventually, the system spread to the lower castes for the same purpose.
Prakasa states that arranged marriages serve six functions in the Indian community: (1) helps maintain the social satisfaction system in the society; (2) gives parents control, over family members; (3) enhances the chances to preserve and continue the ancestral lineage; (4) provides an opportunity to strengthen the kinship group; (5) allows the consolidation and extension of family property; (6) enables the elders to preserve the principle of endogamy. (Prakasa 17)
Today, arranged marriage is still popular in India; despite the rising appeal in “love marriage”, many young Indians actually prefer arranged marriages. According to a study published by Statistics Brain Research Institute (February 2018), 88.4% of marriages in India are arranged. Traditionally, marriages are arranged by the parents, as they are often regarded as better judges of character, common interest and comparability than the prospective mates themselves. Prospects are also sought out through the family’s social circles, communities or by advertising in newspapers, and more recently, matrimonial websites. Caste, income levels, education and even astrology are taken into consideration. The caste systemin India prohibits marriage outside the caste. However, inter-caste marriages have gradually gained acceptance due to increasing education, employment, middle-class economic background, and urbanization. (Wikipedia)
INTER-CASTE MARRIAGE
Though marriage within one’s own caste is strongly preferred, inter-caste marriages are not unheard of in India. Occasionally, women are allowed to marry a man from a higher caste, with their future children to assume their father’s status. This type of marriage is referred to as an anuloma and is only allowed under certain social conditions and recommended for the upper castes, including Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas. This custom is widely prevalent in India’s hierarchical society.
Pratiloma is the name given to a marriage that takes place between a woman from a higher caste and man from a lower caste. These marriages were generally discouraged and condemned, however, societal norms have changed, and the rate of inter-caste marriage has risen. Statistics show that approximately 5% of marriages today are inter-caste.
Although the law allows inter-caste marriage, in parts of rural India, it can be fatal to disregard social rules and marry someone of a different caste, especially if from a lower caste. Parents and elders oppose to these inter-caste relationships as they are seen as an embarrassment to the community in which they belong and their families are often shamed and shunned from society as a result of their relationship. Consequently, India has seen a rise in “honor killings”; couples are being attacked because their families and communities object to their relationship. These honor killings are often carried out by relatives to protect the family’s reputation and pride.
In 2016, crime data showed that honor killings had grown by more than 796% from 2014-2015; while only 28 murders were reported in 2014, this number jumped to 251 in 2015. (Huffington Post).
In January 2018, The Supreme Court said it was “absolutely illegal” for anyone to attack couples who had married outside of their caste. Additionally, they warned the India government that if legislation was not created to protect these couples, the court would take the matter into their own hands.
In an effort to bridge the gap between castes and classes in India, and to provide more opportunity for the Dalit’s, the government has started offering monetary incentives to inter-caste couples. The one time incentive is available to all couples where either the bride or the groom is a Dalit. This scheme is meant to help such couples, who have taken this courageous step, to settle down in the beginning of their marriage.
