Page 139 - DSOC402_SOCIOLOGY_OF_KINSHIP_ENGLISH

Unit 19: The Geneological Method

issue related to marriage is the age at marriage, that is normally at what age does a man-woman Notes
from an ethnic group marry. The third problem related to marriage is divorce. Here, we will
discuss about the various processes of marriage amongst the various ethnic groups, based on
these points.

In all the groups, there are two important rules of marriage. They are exogamy
and endogamy. Another issue related to marriage is the age at the time of mar-
riage.

19.3 Hindu Marriage

The religious rituals of the Hindu Marriage prove that man is superior and woman holds a
low position. These religious rituals tell us that the bride goes to her husbands house af-
ter marriage. These basic rituals emphasize on their life-long bond and put stress on the
wife to follow her husband, to work according to his desires and show love and dedication.
In fact, marriage is the first prominent ritual in the woman’s life. The man has another ritu-
al before it, known as Yagyopavit ritual. (the ritual of the sacred thread). The Sanskrit schol-
ars have elaborately discussed the Hindu Marriage and also the rituals that are followed.
In this case, the book ‘Hindu social organisation’ by Pindari Nath Prabhu is an important
work. Kapadia has repeated Prabhu’s establishment. He too, mentions such religious rituals
which establish the fact that the Hindu Marriage is a religious act. Here, we first define the
Hindu Marriage.

K.M. Kapadia: Marriage And Family In India, 1955 is a scholastic book. Here, he refers to the
Hindu Marriage as a religious ritual. He says, the Hindu consider marriage as a bond forever. It
is a strong bond which normally does not break.
Kapadia has defined the Hindu Marriage as follows: The primary role of marriage is to fulfill
the responsibilities. Thus, the fundamental motive of marriage is religion. Unlike the western
society, Hindu do not perceive marriage as a means of fulfillment of sexual desires. In the Hindu
Marriage, religion holds the first place, producing son holds the second and sexual gratification
holds the third position. The Hindus consider marriage as an extremely important religious
ritual.
According to Medhatithi: In order to make girl, a wife in the Hindu Marriage, an orderly multi-
ritual Panigrahan Sanskar (a ritual) should be performed, the last ritual of which is Saptarshi
Darshan.
The completion of all the religious rituals, makes the Hindu marriage valid. In the movies, after
the hero runs away with the heroine, their sexual relationship is validated by marriage. They
go to some secluded place, where they garland each other in front of the Deity. The Hindu Mar-
riage is performed in front of /in the presence of someone and that is its definition.

Explain the religious rituals related to the Hindu Marriage.

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 133