The caste system of India: How does the caste system reinforce marriage practices and how are these practices changing with modern times?
In this analysis essay, I will explore the caste system of India and how the system reinforces certain marriage practices. I’ll also explore why the tradition of arrange marriage is still so prevalent in modern society and how technology is changing the way millennials are finding potential mates today.
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, very little has changed in its practice.
The division of Indian society is broken up into four groups — Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. At the top of the hierarchy are the Brahmins, these caste members are considered to be most pure, and consists of priests and spiritual teachers. Below them are the Kshatriyas, which are made of up military and ruling class. Then the Vaishyas, these are the merchants and land owners. And lastly, the Shudras, which consist of laborers and peasants. Below the Shudra caste are the “Outcaste’s”, also known 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 because of this, they are considered to be the most polluted.
For centuries, caste affiliation has been the factor of almost every facet of people’s lives, with each group falling into a certain place in the hierarchy. Caste affiliation not only influences one's occupation, but also their dietary habits and how they interact with 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.
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. Arranged marriages help maintain social stratification in the society, gives parents control over who their children marry, and improves the chance to preserve and continue ancestral lineage. It allows the consolidation and extension of family property and allows the elders to preserve the principle of endogamy. (Flanigan)
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 in February 2018, 88.4% of marriages in India are arranged. Traditionally, marriages are arranged by the parents because they are regarded as better judges of character, common interests and comparability than the prospective mates themselves. Prospects are sought out through the family’s social circles, within the community or by advertising in newspapers, and more recently, matrimonial websites. Caste, income levels, education and even astrology are taken into consideration.
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 are 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. The caste system generally prohibits marriage outside of the caste, however, inter-caste marriages have gradually gained acceptance in due to increasing education, employment, middle-class economic background, and urbanization. (Wikipedia)
Although there are no laws against 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 are opposed to these inter-caste relationships because they are seen as an embarrassment 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 in order to protect the family's pride and reputation. 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, July 2016). 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 Indian government that if legislation was not created to protect these couples, the court would take the matter into their own hands. (Times of India)
The Parliament of India enacted the Special Marriage Act, 1954 in order to provide an alternate form of marriage to those who were marrying outside of their caste or religion. Under this act, couples of different faiths are able to get married without renouncing his or her own religion. The act includes marriages among all religions and faiths and applies to all citizens of India and those living abroad (with the exception of Kashmir and Jammu). More recently, in an effort to reduce caste-prejudices in India and to abolish “untouchability”, the government is encouraging inter-caste marriages by 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.
Today marriage practices are beginning to take a shift, especially in the urban areas of the country. This shift in tradition is a result of modern technology amongst millennials. Many young Indians now have cell phones and access to the internet, and with the growing number of matrimony websites and dating apps, millennials now have more control over the search for a potential mate. Although parents may still be seeking out prospects, the final decision mostly rests with the children. Additionally, with a quarter of young Indians now attending university, and half of all students being women, marriages are being delayed until they’ve finished studying and found work. As recently as 2005-06, 47% of Indian women in their early 20s were married by their 18th birthday. By 2015-16, the number had fallen to 27%, and just 18% in the cities. (The Economist)
In conclusion, though inter-caste marriages have been severely frowned up and are often subject to cruel acts of punishment in many rural areas, the