1 



304 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal [Sept., 1914. 



(3) the bridegroom should be older than the prospective bride; 



(4) they must be of the same caste and sub-caste, but of different 

 gotras, and pravaras; (5) he must be prepared to pay a lump 

 sum and presents of cloth, which the bargaining ability of the 

 bridegroom can command in the matrimonial market. On the 

 last the enlightened opinion is unanimous, and yet the prac- 

 tice does not follow theory. 



Marriage Ceremonies and Bites. — Among primitive men, 

 marriage was celebrated without any ceremony whatever, 

 and this is still the case with many uncivilized people in vari- 

 ous parts of the world. Marriage ceremonies arose by degrees 

 and in various ways. The ceremony often indicates the new 

 relation into which the man and woman enter. Sometimes it 

 symbolises sexual intercourse, but far more frequently the 

 living together or the wife's subjection to the husband: but 

 the Brahman ideal of marriage according to Hindu shastras 

 falls under two main sub-divisions viz., Dharma Vivaham 

 or canonical marriage, and Kama Vivaham or marriage for 

 the sake of enjoyment. Under the former are included 

 Brahmam, Daivam, Arsham, and Prajapatyam ;* and under 

 the latter, Asuram, Gandarvam, Rakshasam, and Paisacham. 3 

 The first class of alliance or canonical marriage is a form 

 of social marriage, the primary object of which is to 

 enable a man to perform certain appointed duties (dharmas) 

 to society, and to provide for the discharge of those duties 

 in the family even after his death. Hence the married life 

 or the Grahasta stage of life is considered a very important 

 one, on which alone vitally depend the other stages, Bramachari, 

 Vanaprasta and Sanyasi. For the purpose of this alliance, 

 the selection of suitable partners is an essentail pre- requisite. 

 The husband and wife have also to exercise different functions; 

 the former in addition to his social duties is the guardian of 

 the wife's interests, both temporal and secular, and the latter 

 holds herself responsible for all the domestic functions. The 

 bond of interdependence connects the two in permanent 

 union, and protects it against danger from the possible effects 

 of time on the body and mind of either partner. These 

 advantages are absent in tl 

 Kama Vivaham in whiMi 



nown 



seeks 



or her personal taste and happiness. Here the children are 

 the by-products of a " conveniency alliance." The question of 

 f e ° w * ershi P of the offspring has to be judged from the history 

 of the human marriages, which have often arisen as a separate 

 question. 45 



The marriage customs of the Cochin Hindu castes may, 



fe*4-t 



I Cochin Tribes and Castes, vol. ii. pages 210-214. 

 Laws of Manu. chap, in, pages 27-30. 3 Ibid 



3 Ibid., pages 31-34 



