Khaps Again, Ban on Same Gotra Marriage
NAVIN Jindal, the Congress MP from Kurukhetra, under political compulsion (as the Khaps had threatened siege if he did not respond to their demands before May 10) has reignited the controversy about intra-gotra marriage. Khaps are demanding an amendment to Hindu Marriage Act to include prohibition of marriage within gotra. Mr. Jindal, in the three debates on different channels of NDTV on May 10 was not forthcoming on all the questions asked by the panelists : Does he agree with Khaps' decisions? What is the relevance of Khaps in the democracy? Why it took him so long to take up the issue? Why is he supporting the illegal Khaps? etc. etc. Meanwhile Mr Chautala, the supremo of INLD too has joined in his support. Yet, nobody is interested in the real issue, though every panelist responded swearing by genetics and/or society.
VARIOUS samrities and samhitas, for example, Manu Samhita, have prohibited intra-gotra marriages, something that lends credibility to Khaps' viewpoint. But we must realise that Hinduism is a dynamic religion and has always welcomed positive changes (except that religious prayers are still conducted in sanskrit as if god knows only that language). In ancient times, there was no purdah (veil) system and average age at marriage too was around 25 years (for entering grihastha). In early medieval period, because of invaders from the west of the country, and the consequences thereof, purdah system was adopted and age at marriage lowered (though it may be one of the reasons, yet important). Things have changed again in recent years.
IN ancient times (the first reference of khaps is found in Rig Veda, when gotra exogamy (marrying outside gotra) was enforced, the society lived in small social groups. To bring cohesiveness in the society, probably there was a need for extension of kinship to other social groups. Otherwise, if it were a rule, it would have been extended to plant and animal breeding too, but pure varieties of these species were promoted.
NOW, when the size of social groups has become so large(even though many new gotras have come up tracing their descent to a particular ancestor) that there may be lakhs of members of one gotra so that it may be literally impossible to trace the relationships even vaguely. Where is the need for the amendment in Law?
VARIOUS civil laws, including marriage laws have accommodated various customs of different communities. Uncle-Niece (Mama-Bhanji) marriage, quite prevalent among most of the South Indian communities, or cousin marriage practised in many agricultural communities, have not been put under prohibited categories for those communities. Definitely, society is bigger than law but there has to be some rationale for putting such demand.
The panelists in TV debates, as also Mr. Chautala, have cited genetics too as a reason for banning intra-gotra marriages without specifying any particular study. How much knowledge of genetics the panelists and Mr. Chautala have, can be gauged from the fact thar recent genetic studies have never said so (The readers having knowledge of genetics only can understand this, so I am skipping details). These people should know that father's brother's daughter (Chacheri bahan) of a person is genetically as similar as his father's sister's daughter (Phupheri bahan) or mother's brother's daughter (Mameri bahan) or mother's sister's daughter (Mauseri bahan). Why the people advocating ban on intra-gotra marriage ask for ban on these other types of marriages too?
BACK to the issue if relevance of what Mr. Jindal (the Congress has dissociated itself from Mr. Jindal's views) and Mr. Chautala want, will this amendment ever take place? The answer is very simple. The UPA government is in the habit of buckling under pressure (if it cannot pressurise other stakeholders). You can conclude yourself. Atleast UP and Haryana must feel more heat in this respect.
VARIOUS samrities and samhitas, for example, Manu Samhita, have prohibited intra-gotra marriages, something that lends credibility to Khaps' viewpoint. But we must realise that Hinduism is a dynamic religion and has always welcomed positive changes (except that religious prayers are still conducted in sanskrit as if god knows only that language). In ancient times, there was no purdah (veil) system and average age at marriage too was around 25 years (for entering grihastha). In early medieval period, because of invaders from the west of the country, and the consequences thereof, purdah system was adopted and age at marriage lowered (though it may be one of the reasons, yet important). Things have changed again in recent years.
IN ancient times (the first reference of khaps is found in Rig Veda, when gotra exogamy (marrying outside gotra) was enforced, the society lived in small social groups. To bring cohesiveness in the society, probably there was a need for extension of kinship to other social groups. Otherwise, if it were a rule, it would have been extended to plant and animal breeding too, but pure varieties of these species were promoted.
NOW, when the size of social groups has become so large(even though many new gotras have come up tracing their descent to a particular ancestor) that there may be lakhs of members of one gotra so that it may be literally impossible to trace the relationships even vaguely. Where is the need for the amendment in Law?
VARIOUS civil laws, including marriage laws have accommodated various customs of different communities. Uncle-Niece (Mama-Bhanji) marriage, quite prevalent among most of the South Indian communities, or cousin marriage practised in many agricultural communities, have not been put under prohibited categories for those communities. Definitely, society is bigger than law but there has to be some rationale for putting such demand.
The panelists in TV debates, as also Mr. Chautala, have cited genetics too as a reason for banning intra-gotra marriages without specifying any particular study. How much knowledge of genetics the panelists and Mr. Chautala have, can be gauged from the fact thar recent genetic studies have never said so (The readers having knowledge of genetics only can understand this, so I am skipping details). These people should know that father's brother's daughter (Chacheri bahan) of a person is genetically as similar as his father's sister's daughter (Phupheri bahan) or mother's brother's daughter (Mameri bahan) or mother's sister's daughter (Mauseri bahan). Why the people advocating ban on intra-gotra marriage ask for ban on these other types of marriages too?
BACK to the issue if relevance of what Mr. Jindal (the Congress has dissociated itself from Mr. Jindal's views) and Mr. Chautala want, will this amendment ever take place? The answer is very simple. The UPA government is in the habit of buckling under pressure (if it cannot pressurise other stakeholders). You can conclude yourself. Atleast UP and Haryana must feel more heat in this respect.
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