THE GEOGRAPHY OF MATRIMONIAL GATHERING: A CASE STUDY OF SAURATH SABHA, MITHILA REGION, INDIA
Sugandh JHA, Banaras Hindu University, India
Abstract
Background: The matrimonial system in the study area is centuries old unique practice. From the recruitment of mates starting from the dissemination of information about prospective bride and groom. To the mate selection process, the whole matrimonial information transfer is based on genealogical verification and people from linguistic communities participate in the gathering. The structure and arrangements of matrimonial gathering have been discussed to explain the details of the geographies of marriage. The distance and direction of migration pertaining to marriage, the level of adjustment between spouses have been discussed. The objective of the study is to analyse the role of the matrimonial system in the changing geographies of the region. The quality of marriage has been assessed using MAT (Marital Adjustment Test) to understand the compatibility of traditional marriage in the Mithila region.
Material and methods: The objective of the present study has been fulfilled using a combination of methods including spatial data from interviews, questionnaires and direct observation methods. The study was conducted using the purposive sampling method and snowball sampling method. N=265 including 128 males and 137 females. The marital adjustment scores achieved by the respondents have been compared and analysed. A combination of quantitative and qualitative data from multiple stakeholders has provided a real picture of the spatial and temporal aspects of the matrimonial gathering.
Results and Conclusion: The females are predominantly short-distance migrants and the frequency of marriages decrease as the distance between spouse’s place of residence increases. The results reveal that the score obtained in MAT among arranged marriage couples is similar to love marriage couples thus making a solid case as to why arranged marriage continues to be preferred. The study reveals how the matrimonial system can be used to depict a cultural geographic perspective.
Mots clés : Matrimonial gathering|Matrimonial systems|Marriage migration|Marital Adjustment Test
A103047SJ