Marriage
Of the
si xteen
Samskaras in the life of a Rajasthani, marriage is the most
sacred and the most important. It is considered a religious and social
obligation on every able bodied person to get married.
The normal type of marriage is one arranged by parents, usually within the
same caste. Marriages are arranged through the good offices of a Bhat, Charan or
Purohit. The family priest compares the horoscopes of the boy and the girl and
if they tally, the marriage is settled. There is no fixed age for marriage, but normally girls are married at the age
of eighteen and boys at twenty-one in cites and towns. In rural areas, child marriages although banned by law are still very common, specially in tribal
areas. Among the Sahrias, marriage is settled when the child is still in the
womb of the mother.
Gauna
If a girl is married before she attains puberty, she stays with her family.
After she attains puberty, the bridegroom is invited to take her away. The
bridegroom comes with a party of friends and relatives. Presents are given to
him, and the women of the family and locality assemble at the bride's residence
to greet him and his party and sing songs. Sweets are distributed. This custom
is very common in rural areas where child marriages are still very popular. In
urban areas, Gauna is rare.
Inter-Caste Marriage
Inter-caste marriages are not very common in Rajasthan, but they are becoming
increasingly popular and acceptable. Among the educated and enlightened who want
to break caste barriers, such marriages are no longer very rare. On the other
hand, they are welcome.
Inter Religious Marriages
Inter-religious marriages, during medieval times, were a result of political
pressure by the Mughals. They were never approved by the people. The
abhorred the very idea of the Hindu-Muslim marriages. Inter-religious marriages
are almost unheard of in Rajasthan in modern times with a few
exceptions.
Polygamy
Polygamy is another legacy of Rajasthan. Although banned by law, polygamy is
fairly common among the Rajputs, the Bhils, Meenas and other tribal
communities. They still consider it as a status symbol. The Jagirdars and
Rajputs have traditionally been polygamous.
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