Inter-Caste and Inter-Religion Marriages

It has often been written on the wedding cards that marriages are made in heaven but solemnized on earth. So when two persons are bound in wedlock, it is the will of God according to which their souls have come together. The set-up of Indian society approves only the marriages in the same caste or religion and thus denounces inter-caste and inter-religion marriages. For years, different societies of India have been divided into castes and religions. There are tough and rigid sectarian divisions. So, marriages are either caste-driven or religion-driven in our country.

Indians have an orthodox mindset. They believe that marriages are possible only in the same religion or caste. They think that the person belonging to the other caste- higher or lower will not be able to understand their rituals, customs and lifestyle and hence will not be able to adjust into the family. There are other petty issues involved in it. There is a fear of the societal norms and social standing. The family fears the loss of reputation in the society. In earlier times marriages were always solemnized in one’s caste and religion. Anybody violating this rule was either punished severely or was criticized severely. Besides, many times the couple and even the family was ostracized and thus ex-communicated.

With globalization and the spread of education, the number of inter-caste and inter-religion marriages has increased in our country. But even today they have to face unique challenges. The infamous case of honour killing in Haryana is still fresh in every memory. In some societies, such marriages are considered as a religious offence and couples face death threats from their own family members or from the so-called saviours of religion.

Marriage is regarded as the most important social custom. It is a sacred institution which binds both the woman and the man in a pious relationship. It gives a meaning to their relationship. When two persons tie the nuptial knot, their souls unite to form one single being. The couple has a beautiful life at its disposal during which both the partners share joys and sorrows, happiness and sadness by standing by each other through thick and thin. The recipe for a successful and happy marriage is not a marriage within the same caste or religion, what is required is compatibility between the two persons uniting in a wedlock. Mutual understanding, trust and love form the basis of this relationship. It depends on how well the two understand each other’s needs and feel for their partner. Religion or caste can not necessarily help two persons understand each other or love each other better.

Marriage is an important social custom. It can be viewed as the best means to remove the barrier of religion and casteism. The orthodox people should understand that the religious fanaticism and rigid caste system are morbid and have a dark future ahead. They hamper the growth of the society by creating fissures among different social and religious groups. Thus, they pose a threat to the national unity also

Education, these days, has broadened the periphery of thinking and has helped people develop analytical powers. It has altered their perception about social concerns like marriage and relationships. Live-in relationships are gaining popularity, Inter-religion and inter-caste marriages serve as a beacon light for social equality. People have seen through the hollowness of casteism and religious orthodoxy. They have rejected these superficial divisions to accept inter-religious and inter-caste marriages. In spite of this, some fanatic and orthodox people still castigate such marriages and continue to obstruct the path of the lovers by threatening or even killing the lovebirds. The reality is that marriage is basically dependent on true love and mutual understanding and once this is achieved, caste and religion become superficial and secondary issues.

The Government should step forward to make such policies and rules which can encourage interaction and relationships between the members of two different castes. It should also provide security to the couple and the family if they are threatened by the social or religious authorities. The government has taken some steps to improve the situation but there is still a great need to implement more measures to make the situation better and happier.