1. Marriage

2.  Marriage is an institution which admits men and women to family life. It is universally present in all civilised societies though its forms and objectives can be different.In India it is a basic institution,and religious sacrament.The important and essential thing about marriage is that it is a stable relationship in which a man and woman are socially permitted to have children.

3.  “It is a relatively permanent bond between permissible mates.” Lowie  “Marriage consists of the rules and regulations which defines the rights, duties and privileges of husband and wife with respect to each other.” Lundberg

4.  This institution is universal in nature.  This institution provides provision to satisfy sexual need.  Marriage is not based on sexual relationships only.  Marriage determines one’s social status.

5.  Marriage is socially and legally sanctioned by the society  Religious Sacrament  Requires social approval.

7.  Satisfaction of sexual instict  Formation of family  Production of children  Procreation and bringing up of children  Provision of economic co-operation  Performance of religious duties

8.  Performance of duties towards family  Development of personality  Provides social status  Economic unit  Mental peace

9.  Regulation of sex life  Leads to the establishment of the family  Provides for economic cooperation  Contributes to emotional and intellectual interstimulation of the partners  Aims at social solidarity

10.  Monogamy Merits- Universally practicable Economically better suited Promotes better understanding between husband and wife Contributes to stable family and sex life Helps in better socialisation Aged parents are not neglected Better status for women

11. Demerits- Unnatural concept Leads to Monopoly No-one to help in the time of crises  Polygamy is of two types Polygyny in which one man marries more than one woman at a given time. Soral Polygyny and Non-Soral Polygyny

12.  Causes-  Disproportionate sex ratio  Out-migration of male population  Hypergamy  Desire for the male child  Economic reasons  Variety of sex relations

13.  Enforced celibacy  Need for more children  To have children  Religious reasons  Patriarchal society

14.  Advantages of Polygyny-  Better status of children  Rapid growth of population  Importance of males  Division of labour  Variety of sex relations  Continuity of family

15.  Disadvantages of Polygyny-  Lower status of women  Jealousy  Low economic status Population growth  Fragmentation of property  Uncongenial atmosphere

16.  Polyandry in which one woman marries more than one man at a given time  Fraternal & Non-Fraternal Polyandry  Causes of Polyandry  Lesser number of women  Infanticide  Matrilineal system  Poverty  Bride Price

17.  Division of Property  Production and labour  Solcial Custom  Advantages of Polyandry-  Checks Population Growth  Economic Standard  Greater security

18.  Property remains intact  Higher Status of women  Disadvantages of Polyandry-  Jealousy  Lack of model  Low standard of health of the women  Leads to Sterility among women

19.  Low status of husband  Lack of attachment  Less population  Loose morality  Unnatural  Bad influence on children  Increase in divorce rate  Group Marriage

20.  Endogamy- partner to be selected within the group Types  Caste Endogamy  Class Endogamy  Racial Endogamy  Religionus Endogamy  Regional Endogamy Causes Racial differences Child marriage Propoganda of different religions increased alienation  Merits

21.  demerits

22.  Exogamy- partner to be selected outside ones group  Types  Clan Exogamy  Sapinda Exogamy  Gotra Exogamy  Village Exogamy  causes  Hypergamy- marriage between high caste boy and low caste girl  Hypogamy- marriage between high caste girl and low caste boy  Levirate- marriage with ones bhabhi  Sororate- marriage with ones salli

23.  Inter-caste marriage