1. MARRIAGES
IN
HINDU SOCIETY

2. CONTENT
o Introduction
o Types of hindu marriages in Indian
context
o Marriage customs in different Hindu
societies
o Purpose & significance of hindu marriage
o Marriage partners preferred in different
region of india

3. o The Hindu marriage act
o Polygamy in Hinduism
o Problems related to hindu marriage
-dowry
-sati/bride burning
-child marriage
o Average age at marriage in india
o Conclusion

4. introduction
• Rig Veda:mentions marriage of Soman with
Suryai, basis of marriage
rituals those are followed
in Hindu marriage
ceremonies.

5. Types of hindu marriage
 8 Types of ancient hindu marriage
-4 types of approved marriages( Brahma,
Daiva,Arsha, Prajapatya)
-4 types of unapproved marriages(Ashura,
Gandharva, Rakshasha, Paisacha)

6. APPROVED MARRIAGES
1. Brahma marriage
(ceremonial form)
2.Daiva marriage
(divine form)
3.Arsha marriage
(priestly form)
4.Prajapatya marriage

7. UNAPPROVED MARRIAGE
5. Ashura marriage
(mercenary form)-bridal purchase
6.Gandharva marriage
(clandestine form)
7.Rakshasa marriage
(diabolic form)-force & might
8. Paisacha marriage
(ghastly form)

8. MARRIAGE CUSTOMS IN DIFFERENT
HINDU SOCIETY
• Members of any Hindu society can have an
Arya Samaj wedding performed as per vedic
rites.
• Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded Arya
Samaj in 19th century & propagated the
teachings of Vedas

9. ARYA SAMAJ WEDDING

10. MATCH MAKING
• Marriage within the same gotra is prohibited
• Some points noted: varna, Vashya, Tara, Yoni,
Gana as Rakshasa, Manav and Deva,etc.
• All such points are summed up, maximum to
36, if the total is less than18, then the
marriage is not permissible

11. MADHUPERK:
• First step after bride & groom have entered
the ‘mandap’

12. KANYADAAN-
HAVAN-

13. • PANI GRAHAN SANSKAR-
• SHILAROHAN –

14. • LAJAHOM-

15. PARIKRAMA

16. SAPTAPADI
• Most important in hindu marriage

17. •
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The meaning of the mantras chanted during
Sapthapadi:
invokes god for plenty of pure & nourishing food
Healthy life
Wealth & prosperity
Happiness & harmony
Virtuous & heroic children
Long life togetherness
7. Loyality,unity & all goodness forever.

18. • SPRINKLING WATER ON THE
COUPLE-
• HRIDAY SPARSHMANTRA-

19. • SINDOOR & MANGALSUTRA-

20. • DHRUVNAKSHATRA-
• ARUNDHATI NAKSHATRA-

21. ASHIRWAAD

22. AIM/ SIGNIFICANCE OF HINDU
MARRIAGE
• The main aim of Hindu marriage can be
summarized as:
-DHARMA: performing religious rites
-PRAJA: progeny/ procreation
-RATI: pleasure

23. MARRIAGE PARTNERS PREFFERED IN
DIFFERENT REGION OF INDIA
• South India: cross-cousin preferred (Kerala,
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh),
North india: marry a stranger (Rajasthan,
Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab),
Central india: northern type but brother-sister
exchange marriage is also frequent.

24. HINDU MARRIAGE ACT,1955
1. Extension of the Act
2. Application of the Act
-Hindu in any form
-Buddhist, Sikh or Jain
3.Conditions for Hindu marriage:
-marriageable age
-no spouse of any partner
-unfit for marriage
-not within degrees of prohibited relationship
4.Ceremonies for a Hindu marriage

25. 5.Registration of Hindu marriage:
-compulsory
-punishable with fine extending Rs.2,500
to 25,000.
6.Divoce on Hindu marriages:
• Cruelty
• Deserted petitioner
• Converted religion
• Voluntary sexual intercourse
• Incurably of unsound mind
• Incurable-fatal-communicable disease
• Religious world
• Lost for 7yrs or more
• Spouse remarried
• Partner committed crime

26. 7.Divorce by mutual consent:
-District court
8. No petition within one year of marriage
-Hear exceptional hardship by high court
9. Divorced persons when may marry again
10.Legitimation of children:
11. Punishment for contravention of Hindu
marriage Act:
-15days-1month imprisonment/Rs.1000
fine/both

27. POLYGAMY IN HINDUISM
• Polygamy for Hindus is banned by the lawHindu Marriage Act
• Supreme Court(May 5, 2000) plugged legal
loophole for all potential Hindu bigamists
• Offence punishable under the Hindu Marriage
Act and the Indian Penal Code.

28. PROBLEMS RELATED TO
MARRIAGE
HINDU
DOWRY
• Vardakshina in kanyadaan
• Dowry Prohibition Act,1961
-Penalty for demanding:6month-2yr, fine
Rs.10,000
-Penalty for giving/taking (1984): 5yr, fine
Rs.15000 or amount dealed.

29. SATI/ BRIDE BURNING
• An ancient (formally abolished in 1829)
custom of Sati.
• Bride-burning is a form of domestic violence
practiced in India till today by Hindus.
• Crminal law ammendment act, 1986:
minimum 7yr – life imprisonment.

30. CHILD MARRIAGE
• Bal vivaha originated in the medieaval age
• The legal age for marriage in India is 18 years
for women and 21 for men
• Child Marriage Prohibition Act of 1929:
penalty: 2yr imprisonment, Rs.1 lakh fine

31. AVERAGE AGE AT MARRIAGE IN
INDIA
• Average age at marriage in India is 19.6yrs
(2001 census)
State
Female
Male
Andaman & nicobar island
19.6
25.4
Andhra pradesh
17.5
22.5
Arunachal pradesh
19.6
23.8
Assam
19.7
25.7
Bihar
17.2
20.6
Chandigarh
20
23.5
Chhattisgarh
17.6
20.9

32. State
Female
Male
Dadra & nagar haveli
18.8
21.5
Daman & diu
19.4
22.9
Delhi
19.2
23.1
Goa
22.2
27.4
Gujarat
19.2
22.1
Haryana
18
21.6
Himachal pradesh
19.1
23.8
J &K
20.1
23.7
Jharkhand
17.6
21.8
Karnataka
18.9
24.9
Kerela
20.8
27.1
Lakshadweep
19.1
25
Madhya pradesh
17
20.4
Marashtra
18.8
23.5
Manipur
21.5
25.5

33. State
Female
male
Meghalaya
20.5
24.8
Mizoram
21.8
25.3
Nagaland
21.6
25.7
Orissa
18.9
23.9
Pondicherry
20
26.4
Punjab
20.5
23.4
Rajasthan
16.6
19.9
Sikkim
20.2
24.2
Tamil nadu
19.9
25.5
Tripura
19.3
25.6
Uttar pradesh
17.5
20.1
Uttaranchal
18.5
23
West bengal
18.4
24.5
Source: census 2001

34. • Average age at marriage for female in India is
18.3yrs
• Average age at marriage for male in India is
22.6yrs
• Average age at marriage below legal age:
state
Years below/above legal age
Female
Male
Andhra pradesh
-0.5
1.5
Bihar
-0.8
-0.4
Chattisgarh
-0.4
-0.1
Jharkhand
-0.4
0.8
Madhya pradesh
-1
-0.6
Rajasthan
-1.4
-1.1
Uttar pradesh
-0.5
-0.9