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Inter caste marriage is a term used in South Asia and Middle-Eastern countries for a marriage where the couple are from two different social groups, e.g. different races, clans or castes. It is related to exogamy, where marriage is allowed only outside of a social group, and opposed to endogamy.

Encouraging and Discouraging inter caste marriage [edit]

Inter Caste Marriage is mostly imp-active by Love marriage. It has been happening especially in india because many religions are fended in India and many rules and regulation stay in the religions just like rules of Marriage. When two people from different social groups marry, it is an inter caste marriage. The first inter-caste marriage in mordern India took place on 4 February 1889. On this date, Yashwant and Radha (alias Laxmi) got married. Yaswant was the adopted son of Jotirao and Savitribai Phule. Radha was daughter of Gyanoba Krishnaji Sasane. This marriage was the first 'Satyashodhaki' (truth seeker society) marriage. Savitribai herself bore all the expenses on this historic occasion. This method of marriage, similar to a registered marriage, is still prevalent in many parts of India. These marriages were opposed by priests and ‘bhatjis’ (Brahmans) all over the country and they also went to court on this matter. Savitribai and Jotirao had to face severe difficulties but that did not deter them from their path. The Satyashodhak marriage required the bridegroom to take an oath of giving education and equal rights to women. The ‘mangalashtake’ (the Mantras chanted at the time of the wedding) were to be sung by the bride and the bridegroom themselves, and these were in the form of pledges made by the bride and the groom to each other. To ensure that they got better acquainted with each other and with each other’s likes and dislikes, Savitribai had made Radha stay in the Phule household even before the marriage took place. She also made provisions for Radha’s education. ^[1]

In India, inter caste marriages were publicly encouraged and supported by politicians such as C. N. Annadurai, the first Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu,^{[citation needed]} and social activists such as Periyar E. V. Ramasamy,^[2] Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu^{[citation needed]} and Manthena Venkata Raju.^{[citation needed]} Sri Lankan tamils are known to be anti-intercaste marriage out of all traditions. For example a Higher Caste member can not ever marry a Lower Caste member without the slightest cause of havoc. This is becoming an increasing issue in the West including UK, Germany, Canada and France too, as many violences reported against Sri Lankan Tamils are usually over Inter-Caste marriages. Indians are not better themselves, e.g. the East London Brawl in 2011 was due to a Higher caste marrying a Lower caste. Only the current generation can save this increasing sterotype by eliminating the caste system and marrying different castes to themselves. This allows caste mixing.

Legal [edit]

According to the Special Marriage Act, 1954, inter caste marriage is legal in India. Inter-caste marriages are performed under this Act.^[3]

References [edit]