Question

Explain the various rules related to marriage.

Answer 1

Rules related to marriage: The rules of marriage are either preferential or prohibitive in nature.

Exogamy: It refers to the prohibition of marriage between individuals who may be members of the same group. Exogamy can be of the following types :

1. Gotra Exogamy: The people belonging to the same gotra are considered to be sharing the same blood and hence their inter-marriage is restricted.
2. Pravar Exogamy: Pravar refers to a religious or spiritual bond. Marriage between persons who are members of the same pravar is restricted amongst the Hindus, especially the Brahmins.
3. Village Exogamy: Among some of the Indian tribes, like the Munda and some tribes of Chota Nagpur of Madhya Pradesh, there is a practice to marry outside one’s own village.
4. Pinda Exogamy: Pinda refers to common parentage. According to Brihaspati, offspring from five maternal generations and seven paternal generations are sapinda, and are not supposed to inter-marry.

Endogamy: Endogamy refers to practice to marry within a specific group. The prevention of marriage outside the group is supposed to preserve the group’s unity, homogeneity, prestige, status, and numerical force.
The different forms of endogamy in India are as follows:

1. Tribal endogamy
2. Caste endogamy
3. Sub-caste endogamy
4. Class endogamy
5. Race endogamy