Stories

There are many stories of marriage circulating in every society and what is acceptable in one state is a shock to another society.

Before the BJP government came to power, marriage in a temple was not valid as registration of marriage was mandatory in West Bengal. Since the rise in registered marriages being high in the state, divorce cases are also high because people cannot remarry or prevent one’s remarriage without a divorce.

Recently, in Bihar, one couple – maternal uncle and niece – have married in a temple is nothing but an illegal marriage because marriage as per Hindu marriage act should consist of the essential ceremonies and prohibits marriage within blood relations and prohibited relationship.

As per Hindu marriage act, no one can marry within the prohibited relationship. The bride, as a neice, cannot marry her own maternal uncle.

Particularly as a deputy commissioner, Mr Rai, married his neice in a temple, must be aware of the laws related to marriage?

Over the ten years of their relationship as the girl claimed which means she was 14 then and a minor. So, it is evident that they had to wait for the uncle to get a job to get married and for herself to be a major.

But this is not the first set, many first cousins among caste Hindus (upper castes) have gotten married since the 70s.

In South India, a maternal uncle marrying his own niece is a common thing and is legal and they are getting out of this practice of marrying their own uncles. The recent case of mama (maternal uncle) marrying his own ‘bhanji’ in Bihar is not unique but falls in the prohibited relationship in North India.

However, the mama being an administrative officer marrying his own niece points out people’s hidden sexual inclination.