Marriage and Clothing in India

MARRIAGE

Indians do not permit inter-religious marriages. Marriages are arranged in India. Marriages are arranged in India by the elderly women of the family because they consider it an duty. Marriages are arranged in India because they see it as reinforcing the social, economic, geographic, and the historic significance of India. Prakasa states that arranged marriages serve six purposes. (1) is to help maintain the social satisfaction system in the society, (2) gives parents control, over family members, (3) continuing the ancestral lineage, (4) provides an opportunity to strengthen the kinship group, (5) extending of family property and (6) enables the elders to preserve the principle of endogamy. Arranged marriages started as a way of uniting and maintaining upper caste families. Then it moved down to lower classes and was used for the same purpose. Some Indians used to arrange cousins to be married because they now of their background and their family history because that is their blood. Family consideration is the most important factor in Indian families. It is split into two categories consideration pertaining to the groom and consideration pertaining to the bride. The groom is suppose to have permission from the family to marry, have a job, hailing status from family and must have good nature. The bride has to be good looking, possess good health and must be well behaved. The procedure on how to arrange marriages is very important. Elderly ladies of the families meet at some function or other availabilities they discuss the possibility of marriage. Another procedure is through interested families and friends especially when there isn't anyone available among near-relations. The third procedure is by finding matches with servants, fruit and sweet vendors, barber's wife and people who move among several families and are able to render service to various families. Negotiation starts after meeting through families and friends, and when concurrence has been reached in settlement, the more the details are discussed and a day is fixed for the marriage or final settlement. Originally the bridegroom's party takes the initiative and makes the proposal for marriage. But now is this day and age the bride's party takes the initiative and makes the proposal for marriage. A Mushatta is a working woman visiting well-to-do families to help young girls to complete their toilet, etc. A Mushatta plays a major role in arranging marriages as well as families. There are some rituals that must be done before the marriage can take place. There are many but there are two called Istikhara and Imam-Zamin. In the Istikhara it is customary to take the consent of God for concluding the negotiation matter. The Mujtahid (Religious Head) obtains the consent of God with the help of a Tasbih (Rosary) and when the Istikhara is affirmed it is considered that the marriage between the two parties are settled. The mother of the boy or a close relative if mother is dead, with her friends and female relatives go to the girl's house with sweet's and Imam Zamin to see the girl immediately after Istikhara. The guardians of the girl accept the sweets and entertain them with refreshments. In most cases the girl is not seen by the boy's family, and they see the girl's face for the first time and the boy's mother ties the Imam Zamin around the upper portion of the bride's right arm. It's usually a silver or gold coin wrapped in a silken cloth. This is the Imam Zamin ceremony. There are many marriage ceremonies but there is one particular one that is very popular. Mangni also known as Betrothal is a popular marriage ceremony, it is so popular because it's fast.