Types of marriage
Marriage is universal, but its nature, purpose, ideal and nature are not the same. The common types of marriages found based on the number of husband and wife are:
- Monogamy: When a man or woman establishes marital relations as a life partner, it is called a marriage. Today, a marriage is considered the most important. The current Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 has recognized a marriage itself.
2 . Polygamy: When more than one man or woman establishes a marital relationship, it is called polygamy. There are three forms of polygamy –
(i)polygyny marriage,
(ii) polyandrous marriage, and
(iii) group marriage.
(i). Polygyny: When a man has a relationship with more than one woman, it is called polygamous marriage. It was practiced in early Hindu society. Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. . It has decreased significantly since. It is prevalent among Muslims. It is also prevalent among some tribes of India (Naga, Gond, Baiga, Toda etc.).
(ii). Polyandry: When a woman establishes marital relations with more than one man, it is called polyandry marriage. An important example of this is the marriage of Draupadi with the five Pandavas in the Mahabharata period. In modern times this practice is prevalent in the Nairs of South India.
There are two forms of polygamous marriage (a) fratricidered marriage and (b) unfriendly marriage.
(a). Fraternal Polyandry: When a woman establishes marital relations with more than one man, who are brother to brother, it is called fraternal marriage. The marriage of Draupadi and the five Pandavas are examples of this. Also, it has been prevalent in the Khas and Toda tribes of India.
(b). Non-Fraternal Polyandry: When a woman establishes marital relations with more than one man, if the men are not monogamous, then it is called an indecent marriage. Its practice has been in the Toda and Nair castes. Group Marriage: When a group of men establish a marital relationship with a group of women, it is called a group marriage. Evolutionary thinkers believe that this form of marriage may have been in the early stages of family and marriage, but today it cannot be found anywhere. Thus many types of marriages have been found, but in the present times only one marriage is prevalent among Hindus. Polygamous marriages are seen under special circumstances.
Causes to monogamy
(i) Equal number of women and men in the society.
(ii) Avoiding family conflict or stress
(iii) Economic factors
(iv) Acceptance of others in married life is not acceptable
(v) Hindu Marriage Act,
A marriage by 1955 essentially enforced. Benefit from monogamy (i) Best marriage (ii) Husband-wife personally responsible for children (iii) Maintenance of mutual support between men and women. (iv) The position of women is elevated. (v) Reduction in the number of children. (vi) Husband – wife away from mental stress and conflict. According to evolutionary theory, the practice of monogamy is the most recent and modern practice. Westermark considers monogamy to be the form of marriage.
According to Malinowski, monogamy is the true form of marriage, has been and will remain. Polygamy Nama Polygamy is a marriage in which a man or woman establishes marital relations with more than one woman or man. There are four types of this.
Benefits of polygamous marriage
(1) Due to polygamous marriage, sexual desires of Kami men are fulfilled in the family. Therefore, corruption and immorality are not increased in the society.
(ii) It is possible for everyone to get married when the number of women is high.
(iii) In the case of many women, the upbringing of children and maintenance of the home is done easily.
(iv) Polygamous marriages are found in most of the rich and affluent people of the society. Therefore, the children born from such marriages are physically and mentally strong.
Disadvantages of polygamous marriage
(i) The time of women is often destroyed in conflicts. (ii) Increase in population. (ii) Due to many issues, the husband is not able to take care of everyone properly. (iv) The social status of women falls. (v) Increase in the number of widows. (i) Sexual activity thrives in society due to the inability of the male to have sexual satisfaction of all the palms.
Causes to polygamous marriage
(1) The main reason for this is economic activity or poverty. When a single man is unable to support women and children, many men together take care of him.
(ii) Excess of bride price. Girls in the ‘Ho’ tribe remain virgins for the most time due to bride price.
(iii) Due to the desire to keep the population restrained, polygamous marriages are practiced because children are less in such marriages. Granddaughter
(iv) To prevent division of property. Of
(v) Geographical conditions – Toda and Khas are inhabited by lack of arable land.
(vi) Religious reasons – The Khas of Dehradun consider themselves as descendants of the Pandavas and these people follow the Draupadi marriage practice.
(vii) According to Westermark, the main cause of polygamous marriage is the unbalanced form of sex ratio. (viii) ‘Samner’, ‘Cunningham’ and ‘Saxena have considered poverty as the main reason for polygamous marriage.
Benefits of polygamous marriage
(i) non-partition of property
(ii) diminishing of children,
iii) Economic Cooperation –
Disadvantages of polygamous marriage
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Evolution of sterility.
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The number of boys is more, which reduces the number of girls. – Tani
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The condition of women is pathetic.
(iv) Increase in the number of widowers in the society.
(v) Sexual diseases arise in women.
(vi) Willing siblings marriage
Importance or Functions of Marriage
Basis of Family Life: A family is formed on the basis of marriage. That is why marriage is called the gateway of the family. In the family environment, exchange of love and affection is possible. The family established through the institution of marriage is a unique place where a person fulfills all his physical, mental, social and economic desires and becomes a worthy citizen of the society.
Helpful in Satisfaction of Sex: Sexual desire is the natural quality of human, which a person gets with birth. The fulfillment of this desire is necessary in the context of a healthy human being. This desire of man is possible through the arrangement of marriage. The fulfillment of sexual desire without marriage is the creation of Kamachar. Hence marriage is a society-accepted system of fulfilling sexual desire.
Legitimization of Children: Through the marriage system, children gain legitimacy. In this system, children who are born as a result of sexual relations between two men and women are accepted by the society. Also, the child and their parents get a certain social status. Children can be given birth without marrying, but this child will be considered illegal. Then the child and related parents do not get social status. Therefore, children born through marriage are considered legitimate.
Helpful in social continuity: Every society arranges to bring the next generation to maintain its existence and continuity. The marriage system performs this important function of the society. In Hindu society special importance has been given to genealogy and fertility and this work has been linked to religion.
Development of Kinship Relationships: New kinsmen develop through marriage arrangements. This increases the scope of kinship relationships of the person. A premarital person belongs to the parent family (in which he was born and raised). After marriage, he belongs to the reproductive family. As a result, a person joins his blood relatives as well as other relatives after marriage (mother-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, sister-in-law, etc.). H. M. Johnson has accepted marriage as the determinative element of kinship co-arrangement.
Social Prestige: Marriage is a sign of social prestige. Marriage-celebration is the most important celebration of life. The pomp with which the ceremony is organized on this occasion signifies that marriage is a means of achieving social prestige. Also, the biggest yajna of the family is considered marriage. After completing this yajna, the family’s reputation is protected.
Helpful in Socialization of Individuals: Marriage teaches to adapt from two different ideologies, tradition, lifestyle, lifestyle etc. It also promotes renunciation and generates loyalty to mutual duty. When two men and women are related as husband and wife through the marriage arrangement, then their socialization starts. On the one hand, family life is healthy and strong, on the other hand healthy personality is built. Thus marriage plays an important role in socialization of the individual.