Caste panchayats and the policing of marriage in Haryana: Enforcing kinship and territorial exogamy

Abstract

This article looks at the phenomenon of bitterly contested marriages in Haryana whichbreach the principles of village and clan exogamy, and analyses the issues thrown up bysuch marriages. Based on recent case studies, it examines the social factors operatingbehind the intervention of the caste panchayat - an extra-judicial body - and the successand limitations of this intervention in resolving such issues. The analysis highlightsfluctuations in the status of different clans, and the contemporary multi-directional pullswithin a caste, with different groups either claiming a higher or equal status, or attemptingto maintain their status against challenges and erosions effected by other clan groupswithin the caste fold. The issue of contentious marriages reflects the degree of internalstrife, conflict and cleavage in contemporary rural society in Haryana, underlining theway in which a combination of forces are using traditional tools for traditional as wellas modern political purposes. © 2004 Sage Publications.