Marriage

• Marriage, a legally and socially sanctioned union, usually between a

man and a woman, that is regulated by laws, rules, customs, beliefs,
and attitudes that prescribe the rights and duties of the partners and
accords status to their offspring.
• The first recorded evidence of marriage ceremonies uniting one
woman and one man dates from about 2350 B.C., in Mesopotamia.
Over the next several hundred years, marriage evolved into a
widespread institution embraced by the ancient Hebrews, Greeks, and
Romans.
• The concept of marriage was first discovered in Smritis and Vedas. If
one is married under the Hindu tradition it is expected of the man and
woman to lead their entire life together and to be only devoted to each
other. The marriage system in Hindu scriptures dates back to millions of
years.
• According to Encyclopedia Britannica, “Marriage is a physical, legal
and moral union between man and woman in complete community
life for the establishment of a family.”
• Edward Westermark in his famous book ‘History of human marriage’
defined, “Marriage is a relation of one or more men to one or more
women which is recognized by customs or law and involves certain
rights and duties both in case of parties entering into the union and in
the case of children born of it.”
• According to Oxford dictionary, marriage is the formal union of a man
and a woman, typically as recognized by law, by which they become
husband and wife.
It is a heterosexual bond between two people as a husband and a wife
established by any medium, which is accepted by sociocultural norms and
values. It is a consensual legal agreement between a man and a women to
live as a husband and a wife. Sexual relationship plays a vital role for racial
continuation. In this way, marriage has a significant importance from social
and legal point of view. There is no single and satisfactory definition of
marriage in legal terms but in social behaviour, following concepts between
a male and a female is considered marriage and proved as legal.
a. If marital relationship occurs according to religious customs, cultures
and traditions,
b. If a male and female behave as a couple with a consensual agreement
between them.
c. If conception or birth takes place due to sexual intercourse between a
male and a female.
 Characteristics of Marriage:
1. Marriage is a universal social institution. It is found in almost all societies and at all
stages of development.
2. Marriage is a permanent bond between husband and wife. It is designed to fulfill the
social, psychological, biological and religious aims.
3. Marriage is a specific relationship between two individuals of opposite sex and based on
mutual rights and obligations. Relationship is enduring.
4. Marriage requires social approval. The relationship between men and women must have
social approval. Without which marriage is not valid.
5. Marriage establishes family. Family helps in providing facilities for the procreation and
upbringing of children.
6. Marriage creates mutual obligations between husband and wife. The couple fulfill their
mutual obligations on the basis of customs or rules.
7. Marriage is always associated with some civil and religious ceremony. This social and
religious ceremony provides validity to marriage.
8. Marriage regulates sex relationship according to prescribed customs and laws.
 Purpose of marriage
a. To legalize, socialize and moralize sexual relation between two
individuals
b. To produce children so that the generation can be continued
c. To plan a family and to have proper care of children
d. To have companion in life, to share happiness and sadness in life
 Types of marriages on the basis of

a. Number: Monogamy, polygamy and cenogamy

b. Location: Matrilocal and patrilocal
c. Age: Child marriage, early marriage, unmatched marriage and delayed
marriage
d. Process: Love, arranged and court
e. Tradition: Vedic, rakshasa, prabandha, Supari, Magi, Chori, Bidhawa,
Bhauju, behorne, Gandharv, jari, etc
• Arranged Marriage: This
sort of marriage is
traditional in the rural
areas. The marriage is
settled by the parents,
guardians or relatives of
the boy and the girl and is
performed according to the
religious and traditional
customs.
a. Advantages
b. Disadvantages
• Love Marriage: Marriage
with the understanding
and consent between a
matured (over 20 year)
boy and a girl.
a. Advantages
b. Disadvantages
• Court Marriage:
According to the law,
legally matured boy
and girl apply to the
officer concerned for
their marriage at
court. After some
legal processes, they
get certificate and will
be declared as
husband and wife.
What are the
advantages and
disadvantages of court
marriage?
Marriage in Vedic scriptures
• Brahma Vivah: This is the ideal form of marriage, recognised by three main characteristics:
acceptance of marriage by both sets of parents; marriage conducted as per Vedic rituals;
and no dowry being exchanged.
•  Dev Vivah: This is a marriage between a purohit who performed a yajna and thus won the
hand of the daughter of the yajmaan, or the one who arranged the yajna to be performed.
• Arsh Vivah: Aarsh Vivah is a marriage with all the elements mentioned before: parents'
consent and Vedic rituals and exchange of dowry.
• Prajaapatya Vivah: Prajaapatya Vivah is similar to Brahma Vivah, the difference being, no
guests are invited.
• Asur Vivah: This term refers to a marriage when the parents sell their daughter to the
bridegroom, under pressure or for financial gain.
•  Gandharv Vivah (based on mutual attraction between two people, with no rituals,
witnesses or family participation)
• Rakshas Vivah: Rakshas Vivah is one where the woman is abducted by force
• Pishach Vivah. In this a man stealthily seduces the girl and marries her when she is
sleeping or is intoxicated.
Marriage in Nepalese culture
a. Supari bibaha (Marriage by giving a betel nut): The boy gives the girl’s party a betel
nut for the confirmation of the marriage.
b. Magi bibaha (Marriage by request): The boy’s or the girl’s party humbly requests their
guardians for the marriage.
c. Chori bibaha (Marriage by taking away secretly): In this type, the marriage is
accomplished by taking away the boy or girl secretly without the consent of guardians
either by boy’s party or by girl’s party.
d. Vidhawa bibaha (Widow marriage): After the decease of her husband, the remarriage
of a widow is called a widow marriage.
e. Bhauju behorne bibaha: In this marriage custom, the widow is married to her
husband’s younger brother.
f. Gandharva bibaha: It is a kind of marriage performed persuading someone with one’s
talents on the occasion of feasts, festivals and fairs by dancing, singing and acting.
g. Jari bibaha: This is a type of marriage in which somebody’s wife is taken away and
then necessary amount of money is given as a fine to her former husband for the
compensation.
 Age at Marriage
Legal age at marriage with the consent of their parents is 18 years,
whereas it is 20 years without the consent of their parents

Age at marriage has direct relationship with fertility. Delayed marriage has the
possibility of less and desired number of children. Early marriage and
conception at early age adversely affects the health of a woman. Delayed
marriage can protect good health. Women get opportunity to attain some
level of education if they follow delayed marriage. But it is not good for
women to become pregnant after 35 years. Therefore, the man should be
married after the age of 25 years and woman should be married after the age
of 20 years from the reproductive health point of view.
 Advantages of late marriage
a. Educational and life skills advantages
• Enough opportunity for attaining education required for self-
dependence.
• Easy to get employment because of opportunity for learning income-
generating skills.
• Enough time is available for personality and career development.
• It is easy for woman to take familial responsibility when they become
employed and independent.
• They will get adequate opportunity to work in social and economic
field.
 Advantages of late marriage
b. Benefits to physical and mental health of mother and child
• Healthy and matured baby is born from the mother with physical,
mental, psychological and emotional maturity and it is easier to rear
and care the child.
• There is less risk to the health of mother and infant during delivery.
• Knowledge and consciousness of responsible parenthood is well-
developed. As a result, they (parents) can plan for happy future of their
children.
• They may get enough knowledge on nutritious and balanced diet
required for family members to be healthy and robust.
• The special age of education, learning, merrily playing is fully utilized.
This may develop not only their body but also their mind.
 Advantages of late marriage
c. Other benefits for family, women and children
• It is easy for woman to take familial responsibility when they become
employed and independent.
• Appropriate knowledge on reproductive system, family planning and
maternal and child health care is achieved. This may help in planning
for a happy family.
• They (parents) can bear the responsibility of dutiful parents.
• Small and happy family is developed.

What are the disadvantages of early marriage?

Planning of Family
Planning of family
• Planning of family: It is a complex process that we adopt before begetting
the children. It consist of the aspects like; age of marriage, age of first
conception, determine the number of children, plan for raising children,
children education, income and expenditure management etc.
• Family planning refers to the planning of when to have children,and the
use of birth control. It allows individuals and couples to anticipate and have
their desired number of children, and to achieve healthy spacing and timing
of their births.
• In order to make the family happy and prosperous, planning of a family is a
must. Family welfare is only possible with appropriate planning. We can
adopt appropriate ways of planning of family for the welfare of family
members. Family size must be small. It helps to maintain maternal and child
welfare and care for family health.
Women’s Involvement in Planning of Family

Women’s involvement in the formulation of the plans for the family is

necessary. Women occupy an important position in the family and consequently
their role is very significant. It is men’s narrow-mindedness not to accept the
women’s importance because of the patriarchal culture. However, women’s
participation is a must as men’s. Education and training can help women to be
conscious towards their roles and rights. Besides, their co-operation is
indispensable. Women constitute half the total population in Nepal. So, they
must be made responsible for development work and its management. They
can play a vital part in every aspect of development. We cannot ignore the
service they are doing in our family like cooking, cleaning, looking after children,
etc. They have to be assisted in solving family problems. Their participation and
involvement in every sensitive activity in a family is of great value.
Women’s Involvement in Planning of Family

• Women can discuss and share family-related plans and problems at social
gatherings and help each other for the welfare of the families.
• Besides, they can teach ignorant women about the method of using
contraceptive, childcare, nutritious food available from the local sources,
precaution against infectious diseases, sanitation, etc.
• They are the media to create awareness in the society. They can bring
about changes in the society to create a happy family.
• Women are supposed to overcome the problems of family wisely. They can
give meaningful and appropriate decisions to solve various types of family
problems.
• The closer relationship of women to the children can help in solving the
children problems. Small children may share their problems with their
mothers. Mother can help in solving the children’s problems in early stage.
Some measures to Increase role of a female In planning of
a family
• Empowerment of women through training, education and career
development
• Development of awareness on women role in planning of a family
• Increase participation of women in every sector of development
• Feminist workers should have knowledge on family size, age at marriage,
birth spacing and quality of life.
• Give chance to women to lead community based organizations (CBOs)
• Women should have opportunity to earn and spend in family in need.
 planning of family for future
Young people today are the responsible parents in the near future.
Therefore, they must think how they will accomplish their responsibilities
to the family wisely and impartially. It is necessary to know what will make
the family life happy. Such knowledge can be obtained from family life
education. It teaches many useful things. It gives the correct knowledge
on sexuality and reproduction, which is necessary. Family life education
helps couples, parents and those young people who are going to be
married to make plans of the family for future. The plans contain all-
important matters like what occupations to adopt, when to marry, how
many children to reproduce, etc. It teaches the importance of birth
spacing and the method of birth spacing. The family, which runs according
to the plan, brings success in family life. If every family is run successfully,
it will be a great contribution to the society and country.
Based on the following questions, prepare
a report on your own planning of family for
future. Then make a conclusion.
a. What occupation are you going to
adopt?
b. What age are you going to get married?
c. When will you have children?
d. How many children do you want to
have?
e. What have you thought about child-
spacing?
f. Where are you going to get settled in
the near future?