Kisan Tribe - Marriage

Marriage

Marriage is an important ceremony which comes in the life of every individuals of the Kisan society except persons having sex unknown or undeveloped. The Kisan follow consanguineous, affinal prohibitive and preferred rule at the time of marriage. Parallel and cross-cousins are included in blood relatives and they can not marry with each other. They marry only within their own tribe. Inter-tribe marriage is strictly tabooed. The boy and girl to be married must not be relative from father and mother side up to three generations. In their belief system, blood relation continues up to three generation. They do mot have clear cut clan system. They follow tribe end endogamy and lineage and village exogamy rule at the tome of marriage. Levirate and sororate marriages are preferred in those circumstances.

The Kisan society is divided into Telia and Sinduria sections. The women of Telia section apply oil on the occasion of marriage. They do not put vermillion and wear chuddi (bangles). The Women of Sinduria section applies vermillion at the time of marriage. They are not endogamous. They inter marry but the marriage custom takes place as per the mother of the groom. Generally marriage mate is acquired by bride price. The bridge prices vary from Rs. 15 to 1001. Besides bride price is cash, they have to pay goat and rice to feed the Barat party and clothes of bride’s parents and siblings. The marriage by service also takes place in case of parents having only girls. In this case, the groom has to stay permanently with the wife in father-in-law’s house. Marriage by elopement, Raji-Khushi and Gloat also takes place.

Marriage is generally arranged by parents. The father or guardian of the boy approaches the father or guardian of the girl for marriage. The bride price is settled when negotiation is finalized, the father of the bridegroom give, sunfried rice and turmeric to the father of the girl. This ritual indicates that the marriage has been finalized. Now a suitable date with the help of Baiga priest is announced on which marriage takes place.

Previously, after payment of bride price, the father of bride allowed the bride to accompany the father of the groom and marriage was performed in the house of bride-groom. But now- days, the father of the bride wants to welcome the Barat Party at his village and house.

On the occasion of marriage, the bride, groom and their parents do not wear black clothes. They wear red, yellow and white dresses. Previously, they use Palaki to carry the bride and groom. But now bicycle or rickshaw is used for this purpose. Previously, the members of the Barat were served meat, rice and handia, but now they are served mahua liquor with meat and rice. Previously they danced on mandar. But now they dance on loudspeaker. Domkach dance and play was organized in the house of the groom by female members on the day of marriage. This ritual is still continuing. The marriage age is between 15 to 25 years for both sexes.

The marriage is considered successful when the couple is blessed with a child. For the happy married life, the blessings of Gods, Goddess and elders are taken. Worships and sacrifices are made in the name of different spirits. Bigamy and divorce are considered as permissible, but they practise monogamy.