Changes in marriage practices in a rural north Indian area : a micro-demographic study in Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

This thesis employs a micro-demographic approach to explore changes in marriage practices, identify the mechanisms, processes and underlying causes for those changes and examine their social and demographic implications in a rural north Indian area. Himachal Pradesh has progressed remarkably in terms of economic prosperity, education of women, transportation and communications, health facilities, electrification, drinking water supply, and the family planning program. The role of women has been changing from a position of subordination to men to one of being active companions. Social justice has also been improving, with the active participation of women and lower caste people in societal decision making. The study finds that female age at marriage rose from less than 12 years during the period before 1930 to about 19 years during the period 1981-1988. This has been largely brought about by socio-economic development, particularly by advances in education of women. Marriages in the study area have always been overwhelmingly parentally arranged. The criteria for selecting marriage partners has been based upon the requirements of the family and the network of relatives. However, consideration is now being given to individual characteristics in selecting a marriage partner, and to the desirability of strong conjugal bonds. The field of marriage selection was circumscribed by strict rules of caste endogamy and kinship and village exogamy. While caste endogamy and kinship exogamy have remained intact over the years, sub-caste exogamy has been disappearing. This change has largely resulted from the shifts in status measurement from sub-caste hierarchy to the economic prosperity of the parties involved. The nature of marriage has changed from primarily bride-price type to daan, more often known as dowry marriage, in which the groom's parents take control over the dowry received by the bride but do not demand specific payment from the bride's parents. This shift from bride-price to daan or dowry has been largely because the marriage arrangements of children are one of the status symbols for families and an agent for the extension of the network of relatives. Giving dowry is still considered optional; however, the parents of brides usually give dowry to maintain their prestige and to show their status in the society and to build up good relations with the new kin rather than bowing before the demands of the groom's family. Divorce and remarriage have decreased over the years. Previously, early marriages and no time lag between the date of ceremonial marriage and the bride's taking up residence in the husband's house, in association with high difference in ages of spouses caused sexual maladjustment among spouses and a high prevalence of divorce and subsequent remarriage. Once the age at marriage of women rose above 15 years of age, the divorce rate declined and remarriages became scarcer. The decline in the divorce rate is also partly explained by increases in the considerations of individual criteria in selecting a marriage. Various changes outlined in the study suggest that, demographically, Himachal Pradesh has become the Kerala of north India, with a relatively high age at marriage, higher educational levels of women, low mortality, and high expectancy of life at birth. The implications of changes in marriage practices in Himachali villages seem promising for fertility and mortality decline as well as for the autonomy of women. The study reveals that despite the history of backwardness, Himachali society is moving towards egalitarianism.