MARRIAGE
Marriage is celebrated in
Punjab still with great gusto. Until a few
decades ago a marriage celebration meant a long chain of ceremonies and rituals
but now it has become a comparatively simple affair. Nevertheless marriage still
means rituals and festivity.
Generally a girl has no say in the choice of her husband. Formerly it was the
Parohat (priest) or Nai (barber) of the family who negotiated with the
boy's family on behalf of the girl's family, or vice versa. If what he fixed up
met with the approval of the girl's parents the matters were finalised. This
procedure is still followed by some orthodox families, but the more advanced
ones almost always take the girl's consent before making a commitment.
Choice of a bride or
bridegroom
Of the various considerations that influence the choice of a bride or
bridegroom, caste and clan are the most important. Normally out of the caste
marriages are not allowed. The Khatris marry their daughters
into Khatri families only, but its is very interesting that they do not mind
taking a bride from another caste, like the Aroras. There is a system of social
graduation in accordance with which certain Khatri tribes refuse to inter-marry,
except in a certain specified few of their fellow tribes, such as
Dhaighare, Charzati, Khukhrian, Bahri etc. Thus, for instance, a Dhaighara( literally, two and a
half houses) Khatri marries only in one of three castes-Kapurs, Khannas,
and Mehras or Malhotras.
The Jats are also very particular about their
got (clans) and do not marry
into the gots of the parents and grand parents on both sides. The villages of
the Punjab are exogamous units and marry their children in villages which are
near about. "Each village is said to have a traditional set of villages to
which its girls regularly go in marriage and another set from which it regularly
receives wives".
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