3/13/2015

Whosecultureisit?TheHindu

Today'sPaperOPINION
Whosecultureisit?
Arulmozhi
TamilNaduhasalonghistoryofperformingthemarriagewithoutathaali.Itisallthemorevalidintermsofequalityandselfrespect
forwomen

hethaali(mangalasutraorthesacredthreadtiedbygroomsaroundthebridesneck)wasnotreferredtoasasymbol
ofmarriageinancientTamilliterature.ThegreatepicSilappadhikaramdescribesthemarriageofKovalanand
Kannagi,whichwasasimpleceremonywithoutathaali.Sanskritepicsalsotellthestoriesofprinces,andnoneof
themtiedathaaliinanyswayamvaram.SothethaaliisnotasymboloftheancientcultureofTamilsorofHindus.
WehaveearlierreferencesinSangamliteratureaboutanAimbadaiththali,apendantforchildrenmadeoffivemajor
metals,consideredtobegoodforhealth.Thus,thethaaliwasmeantforchildren,notforwomeninmarriage.
Poemsfromalaterperiodnarratedhowtheheropresentedanailoratoothofatiger,killedbyhiminaoneonone
fight,tohisladyloveasagift.Theheroinepreserveditclosetoherheartbytyingitaroundherneckasaprecious
jewel.Thatconceptfadedawaylongback.Itwillobviouslynotfitinthepresentdaycontextbecausenomanwillbring
atigerstoothornailattemptinganysuchthingwouldlandhimstraightbehindbars.
Individualsdesire
So,innowayisthepresentdayceremonyoftyingathaaliconnectedtoTamilculture.Evenifitisprovedtobeof
Tamilheritage,wearinganyculturalsymbolreflectsanindividualsdecision.Thiscannotbeforcedonanyone.Our
dresscodetoday,forinstance,wasnotthere100yearsago.Ifanybodywantstofollowit,heorshehaseveryrightto,
butnoonecanforceforceorcriticiseapersonwhodoesnotwanttowearit.
IfitisarguedthatthethaaliispartofHinduculture,itcanbeaskedwhichscriptureinHinduismmadeitmandatory
formarriageandwhetherithasabindingeffectonallsectionsandschoolsofHindureligion.Whomadethethaalior
mangalasutrasacred?Whoassociatedhonour,prideanddignitywiththisrope,tobetiedtotheHinduwomanwho
waslikelytobetreatedbadlyanywayandpreventedfrommakingpublicappearancesafterherhusbandsdeath?
Whyshouldawomanwearthissymbolandbearsocialignominywhenitisremovedinthemostcruelmannerafterher
husbandsdeath?
UltimatelythedebateonthaalicannotbeclosedwithoutreferringtothehistoricalroleoftheSelfRespectMovement
anditsfounderPeriyar,whofoughtforwomensrightsinallspheresoflifeinthe1920sand30s.Itwastherelentless
struggleofPeriyarthatwasinstrumentalintheamendmentofTheHinduMarriageAct,1955,whichincludedSection
7(A)todeclarethatthemarriagebetweentwoHinduscanbesolemnisedbyexchanginggarlands,ringsand/orbytying
thethaali.
Weshouldrememberthatthousandsofselfrespectmarriageshavetakenplacewithoutwaitingforlegalsanction.My
parentsmarriagewasoneamongthose.ThankstothefirstChiefMinisteroftheDravidaMunnettraKazhagam,C.N.
Annadurai,whowasknownasAnna,thisamendmentwasbroughtaboutwithretrospectiveeffect.Otherwise,Iwould
havebeentermedanillegitimatechildeventhoughmyfathertiedthethaalitomymother.
Theselfrespectmarriageisalegalformofmarriage.Wehavealonghistoryofperformingthemarriagewithoutthe
thaali.Itisallthemorevalidintermsofequalityandselfrespectforwomen.
(ArulmozhiisaChennaibasedadvocate.)
Theselfrespectmarriageisalegalformofmarriage.Wehavealonghistoryofperformingthe
marriagewithoutthethaali

http://www.thehindu.com/todayspaper/tpopinion/whosecultureisit/article6988105.ece

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