THE NATIONAL LAW INSTITUTE UNIVERSITY,

BHOPAL

Sociology-II

(Trimester- II)

Project on

Tribal Marriage

SUBMITTED TO:
Prof. (Dr.) Tapan R. Mohanty

SUBMITTED BY:
Dhruvi Songaria
2016.B.A.LL.B.42

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 CONTENTS

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

HYPOTHESIS

METHODOLOGY

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

TRIBAL SOCIETY

CHARACTERISTICS AND FEATURES OF TRIBAL SOCIETY

TRIBAL MARRIAGE

FORMS AND RULES OF MARRIAGE

TYPES OF MARRIAGE

STUDY OF TRIBAL MARRIAGE: BHILS AND GONDS

REFERENCES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank Prof. Tapan R. Mohanty under whose guidance I have completed this project
work. I would like to thank him for his continuous support which directed me towards the right path
for completion of this project.
I’d also like to thank all the authors, writers and columnists whose ideas and works have been made
use of in the completion of this project.
My sincere gratitude also goes out to the staff and administration of National Law institute
University for the infrastructure in the form of our library and IT lab that was a source of great help

in the completion of this project.

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 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The project aims at studying the marriage as an institution, rules and types of marriage largely
focussing on tribal forms of marriage or tribal marriage. What is tribal society? What all practices
and rituals they follow?What are the different forms of marriage prevalent among tribes and the
sociology behind these marriages.

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 INTRODUCTION

India is known to be a vast country with scanty population in the prehistoric age. During this period
there were small groups of people scattered throughout the country in different spots having a
characteristic look and life style.These groups are referred to as the tribal groups.They have distinct
characteristics in the society but the thing which interests more is the marriage practices and rituals
followed by these tribes.The types of marriages prevalent in their communities and villages.
Marriage is an institution that admits men and women to family life. Aforementioned types and
rules are followed in tribal societies regarding the marriage among various tribal groups. The tribal
marriages are, however, mere civil contracts and not religious sacraments as found amongst the
advanced societies. Religious rites and rituals are not absolute things in their marriages. The
acculturated tribals are found to approximate the ritualistic performances of the sophisticated
societies in the neighbourhood.

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 OBJECTIVES

A. To study marriage as an institution and the basis of social stratification.

B. To study tribal societies.
C. Understand tribal marriage rituals,their forms and characteristics

HYPOTHESIS

This project aims to unreveal the sociology of marriage as an institution through the study of tribal
marriage rituals, their characteristics and types.
The different practices followed by various tribes while performing sacred rituals of marriage.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The research done for this project is based on secondary data and information. The understanding of
Marriage, Tribal societies and the Types of Tribal Marriage acquired during Sociology classes
combined with the ample of information and studies done by various theorists and universities
constitute the subject matter of this project. The books written by Max Weber along with other
sociologists have been helpful in order to understand the concept of tribal marriage, its types and
characteristics in detail .

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 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

The Tribal Culture of India, 1977 by Lalita Prasad Vidhyarthi

Marriage is an institutionalised mating arrangement between man and a woman and thereby works
as a precondition of universal family organisation of human beings.The initiative for marriage may
come either from the boy or the parents of the boy themselves initiate talks about his marriage.It is
interesting to know how tribal folks select their respective life partners.Marriage in its inception
gives a remarkable tribal feature and reflects its cultural regions and also among Western Indian
tribes.The Pangwal parents approach the girl’s parents through a third party and explore the
possibilities of a marriage alliance.The major tribes of Middle India like the Gond, Bhil , etc. have
also their most preferred way of acquiring mates in marriage arranged by their parents.

These are classified and elaborated on the type of marriage which are described as follows and
among the detailed tribal groups:
- By Abduction.
- By Mutual Consent.
- By Elopement.
Above three types of marriage are the accepted convention types of marriages.Marriage by mutual
consent is practiced among the Hols and Hill Bhuiyas known as RajKhusi and Dhari-Para
respectively.
- By Exchange practiced among Uralis of Kerala, Gaddis of Himachal Pradesh and Khasis of
Assam.
- By Purchase is a common feature of the tribal India if bride price is taken into account.This type
of marriage is practiced among the Gaddis.
- By Capture practiced among the Opartipi, Naga tribes, Gonds, Oraons, Munda, Kharias, Burhors,
Chindas of Chattisgarh and Hill Bondos of Orrisa.
- By Probation practiced among the Kukis and Nicobarese.
- By Trial practiced among the Bhils of Gujarat.
- By Service practiced among the Palliyars, Paniyans, Urali-Kurumans, Mannuans, Malayans,
Munda, Oraon, Baigas, Gonds.

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The book also emphasises on the forms of marriage describing and introducing marriage as an
social institution.Marriage is an institutionalised mating arrangement between man and a woman
and thereby works as a precondition of universal family organisation of human beings.The tribal
India is characterised by marriage patterns mostly permitting young boys and girls to choose their
life partners and forming a democratic foundation of marriage with certain norms to be
followed.The tribal parents allow their youngsters and daughters to come closer to each other which
is revealed by their ways of acquiring mates and the presence of the traditional educational
institutions, youth dormitories in which their group which acquaint their boys and girls even with
the facts of life.Typology of marriage can be of various types as tribal norms set up certain patterns
of the form of marriage.These are as follows:
(i) Monogamy
(ii) Polygamy

Monogamy: The union under this type of marriage takes place between a man and a woman.It is
majorly practiced among the Santhals, the Munda, the Oraon, the Ho of Chotanagpur , the Gonds
and Bhils of Madhya Pradesh.Among the forest tribes of the Birhor, Hill Korwa, the Juang, the
Lodha, Mizos and Bhot as well as Minas of Rajasthan and Kadar.This type of marriage is further
divided into:

(i) General Monogamy

(ii) Remarrying Monogamy

Polygamy: Under this form of marriage, the union takes place between one or more woman and a
man or one or more man and a common woman.This type of marriage is divided into following
three categories:

(1) Polygyny
(2) Polyandry
(3) Polygyny-Polyandry
It is practiced majorly among the Khasas and the Todas.

These various forms of marriage are clearly represented by the following flow chart which presents
a clear picture of forms of marriage prevalent among various tribal societies.
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Marriage in Tribal Societies, 1972 by Meyer Fortes

Marriage is an exogamous unit which is minimal lineage whose members trace their descent
matrilineally from an ancestor three to five generations removed from the oldest living generation.
A lineage were composed only of men, since women are always under the rural authority of some
man.It is this unit which exercises the rights of guardianship over the lands of its members own.The
consent of the minimal lineage is required if a man wishes to lend, lease or sell his land to a non-
member and inheritance disputes are referred to it.

There are rules, consistent with the total social structure, prohibiting marriage between certain
categories of relatives but compared with other similar societies, Gisu restrictions do not cover a
wide range of person.No person may marry a member of his own, his mother’s or paternal
grandmother’s lineage.Two people who van trace descent from a common ancestor or ancestress
three generations removed from themselves through any genealogical connection, may not
marry.The children of ann circumscribed at the same homestead may not marry, nor may the
children of blood-brothers.

A tribal marriage is established by the payment of bride wealth to the woman’s father.The amount
varies in a manner that has been discussed in detail below, but certain items are essential.Once the
marriage has been legally established by the payment of these articles, the husband has exclusive
rights over his wife’s domestics and sexual services and her labour.He represents her in any disputes
outside his domestics group and is held responsible for her actions.Aman;s right over his wife are
heritable property.At his death, his widow is normally inherited by a brother or classificatory
brother,subject to the woman’s consent.If she does not wish to marry the designated hier she may
choose any agnate of her husband or failing that may choose to return to her father.In the latter case,
an adjustment is made in regard to the bride wealth if the woman is still of child bearing age.The
children of an inherited wife are the children of their begetter although it is considered a duty to
name the first child after the dead man particularly if it is boy.

Divorce is possible if either spouse fails to fulfil his or her duties or if the wife is barren or commits
adultery.The contract is rescinded by the repayment of the bride wealth less certain gifts which are
only presented by the bridegroom if it is the girl’s first marriage.Divorce is not uncommon and the
marital histories of most men including one or two marriage that ended in divorce.
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The ceremonies which established a marriage demonstrate clearly the interest of the two lineages
concerned and of the extra-lineage kin of bride and bridegroom.The initial approach is made by the
man’s kin.While marriage is primarily the concern of two lineages, whose responsibility is
demonstrated by their attendance at feasts given by the parents of the couple, each in their own
homes.The extra-lineage relative performs special duties which together with the duties he fulfils at
youth’s initiation, demonstrate the continuing links between individual in different lineages.These
links result from the marriage of woman who retain certain rights in their natal lineages, while
bearing children for the lineage of the husband.

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 TRIBAL SOCIETY

India is known to be a vast country with scanty population in the prehistoric age. During this period
there were small groups of people scattered throughout the country in different spots having a
characteristic look and life style.

A tribe is a group of people, usually staying in jungle areas, in a small locality, absolutely
illiterate poor, hardly clad in clothes, usually dark and frail, fully living within their own
community whose marriage always takes place among themselves, engaged in hunting and
gathering , searching for roots, shoots and fruits as their veg food and roasted animals as non-veg
food, completely oblivious of the country’s political and economic condition, resisting all efforts of
development and have a strong dislike for strangers and educated modern community.

The number of such tribal community is very large e.g. Santhals, Ahoms, Gonds, Bhils etc. Most of
whom fall under scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and other backward classes. Many projects and
efforts for uplifting their health, education and economic condition have failed both for their own
unwillingness for change and absolute non cooperation as well as lethargy, dishonesty and
corruption of the intermediaries.

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 CHARACTERISTICS OF TRIBAL SOCIETY

The chief characteristics of a tribe are the following:

1. Common definite territory:

Tribal people live within a definite topography and it is a common place for all the members of a
particular tribe occupying that region.In the absence of a common but definite living place, the
tribals will lose other characteristics of a tribal life, like common language, way of living and
community sentiment etc.

2. Common dialect :
Members of a tribe exchange their views in a common dialect. This element further strengthens
their sense of unity.

3. Common culture :
Common culture of a tribe springs out from the sense of unity, common language, common religion,
common political organisation. Common culture produces a life of homogeneity among the tribals.

4. Sense of Unity:
Unless and until, a group living in a particular area and using that area as a common residence, does
not possess the sense of unity, it cannot be called a tribe. Sense of unity is an invariable necessity
for a true tribal life. The very existence of a tribe depends upon the tribal’s sense of unity during the
times of peace and war.Tribal societies have strong sense of unity and any stranger is seen as a
threat to their unity and integrity.

5. Endogamous Group:
A tribe is an endogamous group, as distinct from a clan who is exogamous, have common name and
is engaged in worshipping strange objects, hunting of small animals, and resists entry of any
outsiders inside their territory.
Tribal people generally do not marry outside their tribe and marriage within the tribe is highly
appreciated and much applauded. But the pressing effects of changes following the forces of

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mobility have also changed the attitude of tribals and now, inter-tribe marriages are becoming more
and more common.

6. Ties of Blood-relationship:
All tribe members are related by blood.Blood-relation is the greatest bond and most powerful force
inculcating sense of unity among the tribals.

7. Protection Awareness:
Tribal people always need protection from intrusion and infiltration and for this a single political
authority is established and all the powers are vested in this authority. The safety of the tribe is left
to the skill and mental power of the person enjoying political authority. The tribal chief is aided by a
tribal committee, in the events of contingencies. Tribe is divided into a number of small groups and
each group is headed by its own leader. The chief of a group works according to the directives
received by him from the tribal chief.

8. Distinct Political Organisation:

Every tribe has its own distinct political organisation which looks after the interests of tribal people.
The whole political authority lies in the hands of a tribal chief, who exercises authority over all the
members, even recommending marriage of young boys with girls whom they have found suitable
for marriage.
In some tribes, tribal committees exist to help the tribal chief in discharging his functions in the
interests of the tribe.

9. Importance of Kinship:
Kinship forms the basis of tribal social organisation. Most tribes are divided into exogamous clans
and lineages. The marriage among tribals is based on the rule of tribal endogamy. Marriage is
viewed as a contract and there are no prohibition on divorce and remarriage.

10. Egalitarian Values:

The tribal social organisation is based on the egalitarian principle. Thus there are no
institutionalised inequalities like the caste system or sex based inequalities. Thus men and women
enjoyed equal status and freedom. However some degrees of social inequality may be found in case

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of tribal chiefs or tribal kings who enjoy a higher social status, exercise political power and posses
wealth.

11. Rudimentary type of Religion:

Each tribe is guided by their own religion which is based on totemism, magic and fetishism i.e.
believing in god being embedded in a special piece of stone, a special tree or a peculiar strange
animal.Tribes believe in certain myths and a rudimentary type of religion.Further, they believe in
totems signifying objects having mystic relationship with members of the tribe.

T.B Naik has given the following features of tribes in Indian context :

• A tribe should have least functional interdependence within the community.

• It should be economically backward (i.e. primitive means of exploiting natural resources, tribal
economy should be at an underdeveloped stage and it should have multifarious economic
pursuits).
• There should be a comparative geographical isolation of its people.
• They should have a common dialect.
• Tribes should be politically organised and community panchayat should be influential.
• A tribe should have customary laws.

Naik argues that for a community to be a tribe it should possess all the above mentioned
characteristics and a very high level of acculturation with outside society debars it from being a
tribe. Thus term usually denotes a social group bound together by kin and duty and associated with
a particular territory.

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 FEATURES OF TRIBAL SOCIETY

History:
A tribal society is a primitive society which lived in early period of human history but can be found
in large number of groups in all countries including India. There has not been any change of tribes
in their belief, life style and religion which prevent them from mixing with any outsider or educated
community whom they greatly dislike.

Economic structure:
Tribal people live within nature and absolutely clean environment and this determines their
economic activity which consists of hunting small animals and look for food like roots and wild
fruits.

Social Life:
The life style of tribal society is primitive, and depends entirely on their characteristic ways of non-
monetary transacted life. The families live within themselves, without knowing about their
neighbours in the country who are educated and developed. The domestic division of labor depends
only on age and sex.They have their own social functions and festivals where they sing and dance in
characteristic body movements in the same dress by girls, the males playing on musical instruments
like drums, metallic gongs, flutes etc.

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 TRIBAL MARRIAGE

Marriage is an institution that admits men and women to family life.

Edward Westermarck defined marriage as the more or less durable connection between male and
female lasting beyond the mere act of propagation till after the birth of offspring. Lowie defined it
as a relatively permanent bond between permissible mates. Malinowski defined marriage as a
contract for the production and maintenance of children. According to Lundberg Marriage consists
of the rules and regulations that define the rights, duties and privileges of husband and wife with
respect to each other.According to Horton and Hunt marriage is the approved social pattern
whereby two or more persons establish a family.

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 FORMS OF MARRIAGE

Marriages are of different types across the world. Types of weddings are not to be confused with
types of marriages, as weddings can of be of different types depending on the community even if
the type of marriage is Monogamous. The types of marriages in sociology are as listed and
explained below:-

I. Polygyny
II. Polygamy
III. Monogamy
IV. Group

1. Polygyny:-

It is a form of marriage in which one man marries more than one woman at a given time. It is of two
types: Sororal polygyny and Non-Sororal polygyny .
• Sororal polygyny:
It is a type of marriage in which the wives are invariably the sisters. It is often called sororate.
• Non-sororal polygyny:
It is a type of marriage in which the wives are not related as sisters.

2. Polyandry:-

It is the marriage of one woman with more than one man. It is less common than polygyny. It is of
two types: Fraternal Polyandry and Non-Fraternal polyandry.
• Fraternal polyandry:
When the same wife is shared by several brothers ,the practice can be called alelphic or fraternal
polyandry. This practice of being mate, actual or potential to one's husband's brothers is called
levirate. It is prevalent among Todas, a tribal group.
• Non - fraternal polyandry:

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In this type of polyandry, the husband need not have any close relationship prior to the marriage.
The wife goes to spend some time with each husband. So long as a woman lives with one of her
husbands; the others have no claim over her.

3. Monogamy:-

It is a form of marriage in which one man marries one woman .It is the most common and
acceptable form of marriage.
• Serial monogamy:
In many societies individuals are permitted to marry again often on the death of the first spouse or
after divorce but they cannot have more than one spouse at one and the same time.
• Straight monogamy:
Remarriage is not allowed in this type of monogamy.

4. Group Marriage:-

It means the marriage of two or more women with two or more men. In this type of marriage,
husbands are common husbands and wives are common wives and children are regarded as the
children of the entire group as a whole.

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 RULES OF MARRIAGE

No society gives absolute freedom to its members to select their partners. Endogamy and Exogamy
are the two main rules that are applicable in order to exercise choice over a partner.

Endogamy:-

It is a rule of marriage in which the life-partners are to be selected within the group. It is marriage
within the group and the group may be caste, class, tribe, race, village, religious group etc.For e.g.
In caste endogamy marriage has to take place within the caste. Brahmin has to marry a Brahmin. In
sub caste endogamy it is limited to the sub caste groups.

Exogamy:-

It is a rule of marriage in which an individual has to marry outside his own group. It prohibits
marrying within the group. The so-called blood relatives shall neither have marital connections nor
sexual contacts among themselves.There are certain forms of exogamous marriage prevalent in
society which are as follows:

- Gotra Exogamy: Gotra of a person is determined by the group he constitutes a part of and the
Vedic seer followed and worshipped by that group. There were main seven seers cumulatively
known as Saptrishi. The Hindu practice of one marrying outside one's own gotra.

- Village Exogamy: Many Indian tribes like Naga,Garo,Munda etc have the practice of marrying
outside their village.

- Pinda Exogamy: Those who belong to the same pinda or sapinda( common parentage) cannot
marry within themselves.

- Isogamy: It is the marriage between two persons having equal status.

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- Anisogamy: It is an asymmetric marriage alliance between two individuals belonging to different
social statuses. It is of two forms: Hypergamy and Hypogamy.
• Hypergamy: It is the marriage of a woman f higher Varna or superior caste or family with a man
of lower caste.
• Hypogamy: It is the marriage of high caste man with a low caste woman.

- Orthogamy: It is the marriage between selected groups.

- Cerogamy: It is two or more men get married to two or more women.

- Anuloma marriage: It is a marriage under which a man can marry from his own caste or from
those below, but a woman can marry only in her caste or above.

- Pratiloma marriage: It is a marriage of a woman to a man from a lower caste which is not
permitted.

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 TYPES OF MARRIAGE

Marriage is an institution that admits men and women to family life. Aforementioned types and
rules are followed in tribal societies regarding the marriage among various tribal groups. The tribal
marriages are, however, mere civil contracts and not religious sacraments as found amongst the
advanced societies. Religious rites and rituals are not absolute things in their marriages. The
acculturated tribals are found to approximate the ritualistic performances of the sophisticated
societies in the neighbourhood. The ways in which mates can be acquired are indeed varied.
Tribals follow certain types of marriage:

• Marriage by Negotiation.
• Marriage by Exchange.
• Marriage by Probation allow a man to stay at woman place for weeks together after which if they
decide to get married.
• Marriage by Trial.
• Marriage by Purchase or giving bride price.
• Marriage by Service.
• Marriage by Capture is where a man forcibly marries a woman.
• Marriage by Mutual Consent.
• Marriage by Intrusion is where a woman forcibly marries a man.
• Marriage by Elopement.

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1. Negotiation marriage:-

When the parents of both the boy and the girl come forward to negotiate their children’s marriage, it
is known as negotiation marriage. It is the regular form of marriage in the Hindu, the Muslim and
tribal societies of India. In this form of acquiring mates, the bride and the bridegroom have no
positive role and even more is that, they may not have personal acquaintance with each other before
marriage.

2. Marriage by Exchange:-

This type of marriage is common among poor people who cannot afford the price of dowry.A man
gives his daughter, sister or other girl relative to any other person and in exchange takes a girl from
the other side. Both the sides avoid bride price or dowry.It is practiced in some tribes of India as
well as in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

3. Probationary marriage or marriage by Probation:-

In this type of marriage, a young man is allowed to live with his girl in the latter’s house and if their
temperament suits each other, then alone marriage will be held. During this period, they examine,
test each other’s potentialities, courage and understanding.If they were satisfied from one another,
they arrange marriage ceremonies , otherwise the man leaves the house of the girl and instantaneous
dissolution of such relationship becomes effective and the man has to pay cash compensation to the
girl’s parents.But if a child is born during this period, will belong to the mother.It is found in Europe
and India.

4. Marriage by Trial:-

Some tribes require a young man to prove his power and courage before he can claim the hands of
any girl at marriage. In ancient literatures, such marriage was held as most honourable one. In
Ramayana, Rama got the hands of Sita through such marriage by showing his physical strength in
breaking the sacred bow of the great god, Haradeva. In Mahabharata, Arjuna claimed Draupadi in a
similar way.This is also prevalent now among Bhils of Rajasthan.

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5. Marriage by Purchase:-

A man is required to give an agreed amount of cash/kind to the parents of the bride as price which
usually varies according to the physical beauty and utility of the bride.In this form of marriage, the
payment which is to be made to the family of the bride is known as bride-price.This money is
considered as the wealth of the woman for her prestige in society.Marriage by purchase is a
prevalent form of acquiring wife in the tribal societies of India.Some tribe people have this idea that
daughter’s marriage deprives the working member of the family to exercise that work and that price
is the work compensation for that work loss for bride family.It is mainly practised among Santhals,
and Gonds.

6. Marriage by Service:-

“Gaining a wife by service” is a widespread custom among the modern primitives. It may be taken
as an alternative measure of marriage by bride price.By service, bride price is not paid the shape of
marriage but in the form of services.The youth before the marriage gives services to his father-in-
law for about three to five years (3-5 years).During this period, he can meet the girl but cannot enter
into sexual relations with her.If the father of the girl was satisfied with the man, then he gives his
daughter to him otherwise he dismisses the young and give chance to other person.It is practices
among the Gonds, Viga, Lamnai, etc.

7. Marriage by Capture:-

This type of marriage is also known as Abduction or marriage when a boy is interested in a girl but
the girl’s parents are not willing to give their daughter to that boy.The boy with the help of his
family members takes away the girl by force.This type of marriage is found among the various
tribal groups of India for e.g.: Naga, Gonds, Bhils, Santhal. This type of marriage has become less
popular or mostly being prohibited due to the social advancements , change in thinking of people in
society and wide application of Indian Penal Code.

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8. Marriage by Mutual Consent:-

Such type of marriage takes place when the boy and the girl want to marry each other but their
parents are not ready for the marriage and they both fly off from their parental houses with their
mutual consent and get married outside it. In modern societies, inter-caste marriages are considered
examples of this kind of marriage.

9. Marriage by Intrusion:-

If a girl desires to marry an unwilling boy, she applies force to secure that boy. On getting a suitable
opportunity, the girl enters the house of the boy without the permission of the inmates of that house
and starts household works there, such as sweeping the floor, washing the utensils. If she can
withstand the abusing and the maltreatment’s , all the insults and cruelties for a sufficient period of
time, then she will be taken as a wife of that particular boy and usual marriage function will be held
thereupon as the boy is socially compelled to marry that girl.

10. Marriage by Elopement:-

Elopement is one of the most obvious expressions of marriage by mutual love. In primitive times,
elopement was almost impossible: women were guarded too closely. Parents and guardians
arranged marriage to suit their own greedy ends, without giving thought to the desires or the
ultimate happiness of the bride. Elopement, therefore, gradually emerged as the only viable
alternative to marriage by capture or by purchase. To avoid marrying a man the girl disliked but
who was able to pay the price her parent’s demanded, a young woman would decide to elope with
the man of her choice.In order to avoid having to wait until the boy of her choice could pay the
bride-price, or to escape having to work for her under a service contract, a young man would often
induce the girl he loved to elope with him.

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Marriage by purchase or contract probably evolved from marriage by force. The bride was first
stolen, and later compensation was provided to her family or tribe to escape their vengeance. The
custom of purchasing a wife began with the desire to placate enraged parents, and also to avoid
tribal warfare that might result if such compensation were not forthcoming. In the earliest stages of
marriage by purchase, an exchange was made instead of a price being paid. If a bridegroom having
recently stolen his bride away from her family, is overtaken by her angry family and is ordered to
pay for her. Unable to do so, he offers instead to exchange his own sister, his livestock, or his land
for her. In this way he is able to not only save his own life, but able to keep his freedom and new
wife as well.

In written laws on the subject, marriage consisted of two separate transactions. First, there as the
agreement between the bridegroom and the bride’s father or guardian, each formally binding
himself to his part of the marriage agreement ; the drawing up of the contract. Second, there was the
delivery of the bride in return for the price agreed upon, or payment of part of the price and security
that the remainder would be paid to the widow in case of the husband’s untimely death.Exchange,
outright sale, service, child betrothal, and gift giving were the primary methods for the purchase or
the contract marriage. With the exception of gift giving, the dowry, and the trousseau, these customs
have almost vanished from our culture. Marriage by contract or purchase lasted in England as late
as the middle of the sixteenth century.

Marriage by mutual love evolved gradually. It was not until the 9th or 10th Century that women
gained the privilege of choosing or refusing their husbands according to their own judgment. From
the many stories, legends, and myths that have come down from ages past, it is known that love has
always played a part in marriage.

The control of marriage has fluctuated between religious and civil control. Today marriage is
governed by civil law and ecclesiastical canon law. Although adherence to canon law depends on
one’s belief in a particular religion, no one can escape the laws of the State. Most couples celebrate
their wedding in the presence of a priest, rabbi, or minister, yet their marriage would be invalid if
they did not register it with the State as well. In New York for example, it is unlawful for a marriage
Officiant to perform a ceremony without first being presented a valid marriage license.

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Divorce and Remarriage:-

In tribal societies, both the groom and the bride have their equal rights to dissolute marriage.
Barrenness, disloyalty, laziness, quarrelsome nature on the part of both sexes lead to divorce. After
divorce, remarriage can be held again without the payment of bride price. The children of the
previous marriage generally stay with their mother.

L.M Lewis believes that tribal societies are small in scale and are restricted in the spatial and
temporal range of their social, legal and political relations and possess a morality, a religion and
world view of corresponding dimensions.The tribal languages too are unwritten and hence the
extent of communication both in time and space is very narrow. At the same time tribal societies
exhibit a remarkable economy and have a compactness and self-sufficiency lacking in modern
society.

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 STUDY OF TRIBAL MARRIAGE: GONDS AND BHILS

BHILS:

Bhils or Bheel are primarily an Adivasi people of North West India.Bhils are listed as Adivasi
residents of the States of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, all in
the Western Deccan regions and Central India . Bhils are divided into a number of endogamous
territorial divisions, which comprise of a number of clans and lineages.

Extensive regional variations of the marriage restrictions exist, although clan exogamy is strictly
enforced everywhere. In some areas, such as Sabar Kantha and the Panch Mahals, cross-cousin
marriage with the daughter of one's father's sister is permitted or even preferred. Polygyny among
the Bhils is quite frequent. In the Ratanmal area, where lowland Bhils express displeasure at the
thought of marrying off their daughters to the highland Bhils, a high incidence of this intermarriage
occurs nevertheless, almost all as a result of elopement. This practice invariably results in
dissatisfaction and bitterness, especially where negotiations for the bride-wealth are involved. Bhils
marry young, at around 14-16 years for boys and 11-13 years for girls. A boy's first wife is expected
to be a virgin. Residence is not established until after the girl's first menstruation, and the couple
remain in most respects highly dependent on their parents for guidance and assistance for several
more years. Clan exogamous injunctions are strictly enforced. Additionally, tribal endogamy is
preferred, therefore intermarriage is often spatially restricted to a 35-40 kilometre radius. Although
polygyny is accepted, the high bride-price to be paid, especially for a virgin first wife, is an
important reason for the prevalence of monogamy among the Bhils. Most marriages fall in one of
five categories: contract marriages, elopements, mutual attraction, marriage by service, and
abduction.

The annulment of a marriage is formally recognised by all parties with the return of the bride-
wealth. The dissolution of a marriage is often initiated by the woman, who, dissatisfied with her
husband, abandons him, frequently eloping with another man.

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GONDS:

The Gondi or Gond people are tribal people in Central India, spread over the states of Madhya
Pradesh, Eastern Maharashtra. Chhattisgarh, Northern Andhra Pradesh.They are known to be the
largest tribe on earth.The term Gond refers to tribal peoples who live all over India's Deccan
Peninsula. Most describe themselves as Gonds (hill people) or as Koi or Koitur. Scholars believe
Gonds settled in Gondwana, now known as eastern Madhya Pradesh, between the ninth and
thirteenth centuries AD. Although some Gond groups own a great deal of land, others are classified
as Scheduled Tribes, which means they need special social and economic help.

The Gonds have a pronounced patriarchal clan system. The Gonds practice clan exogamy,
considering intermarriage within a clan to be incest. Offenders against the law of exogamy are
excluded from the tribal community and can only be readmitted after separation.
A normal marriage among the Gonds is the monogamous union of a man and a woman based on
mutual choice, sanctioned by the ceremonial exchange of vows, with the approval of the tribal
council, witnessed by the relatives of the partners and the village community, and concluded with a
festive wedding dinner. Although the Gonds have liberal views on premarital sex, they are strict in
the observance of married fidelity. They believe that adultery is punished by the ancestral spirits
that can cause crop failure or an epidemic among humans and cattle. A Gond wedding is solemnised
with many significant ceremonies. The essential wedding rite consists of the groom walking with
his bride seven times around a wedding post erected in the centre of the wedding booth. Marriage is
obligatory. Originally Gond boys and girls married on reaching physical maturity. Nowadays the
Gonds increasingly follow the example of the rural Hindu population and parents arrange the
marriage when children are still young. The father of the groom has to pay a bride-price, the amount
of which depends on the position and wealth of the two families. Cross-cousin marriages are much
preferred, so much so that a youth has to pay a fine if he refuses to marry an available cross cousin.
A Gond can have more than one wife, polygyny being restricted only by the capability of the man to
support a number of wives. Gonds who are too poor to pay the bride-price and the wedding
expenses contract a Service marriage. Other more irregular forms of marriage among the Gonds are
the elopement of an unmarried girl with a boy or the capture of a girl and her forced marriage to her
captor. Marriage by capture was in the past a popular form of marriage among the Gonds. The
marriage must later be legalised by the relatives and village councils of the partners. The Gonds

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permit divorce and easily resort to it for various reasons. For instance, a man may obtain a divorce
if his wife is barren, quarrelsome, or negligent in doing her assigned work. Likewise, a woman may
elope with another man if her husband is a bad provider, a drunkard, or a wife beater, or if he is
habitually unfaithful. A divorce requires the legal sanction of the tribal council of the village.

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 REFRENCES

Tribal Marriage, Marriage, Family and Kinship; Sociology Guide; www.sociologyguide.com ;

4:21 PM; December 3

Various Types of Marriage among Tribal people in India; Important India;

www.importantindia.com; 4:30 PM; December 3

Tribal Society in India and its Features; Important India; www.importantindia.com; 6:12 PM;
December 3

Types of Marriage, Forms of Marriage, Marriage Types, Different Types of Marriage; Sociology
Guide; www.sociologyguide.com; 6:34 PM; December 6


Meyer Fortes, Marriage in Tribal Societies; www.abebooks.com; 7:00 PM; December 6

Rules of Marriage, Family and Kinship, Sociology Guide; www.sociologyguide.com; 7:15 PM;
December 6

Meyer Fortes, Marriage in Tribal Societies, 1962, Questia; www.questia.com; 7:20 PM; December
6

Types of Marriage, Wikipedia ; www.wikipedia.org; 7:30 PM; December 6

Tribal society, Definition and Meaning, Google; www.google.com; 7:32 PM; December 6

Characteristics of Tribes of India;www.yourarticlelibrary.com; 7:45 PM; December 6

Lalita Vidhyarthi, The Tribal Culture of India; www.google.com; 4;50 PM; December 10

Meyer Fortes, Marriage in Tribal Societies, Cambridge University; www.cambridge.org; 5:00 PM;
December 10

Bhil and Gonds, wikipedia; www.wikipedia.org; 5:30 PM; December 10

Marriage and Family of Bhil and Gonds; www.everyculture.com ; 6:00 PM; December 10

Types of Indian Tribal Marriage; www.studylecture.com; 6:05 PM; December 10

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

www.wikipedia.org
www.cambridge.org
www.sociologyguide.com
www.importantindia.com
www.questia.com
www.abebooks.com
www.yourarticlelibrary.com
www.everyculture.com
www.studylecture.com
www.google.com
science.sciencemag.org

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