Child Marriage in India

Child-marriage is another ‘blessing’ of the medieval age and it was born from the same compulsions that; perpetuated sati. Child-marriage was not prevalent in ancient India. Svayam-vara can be translated as self selection of one’s husband, svayam = self, vara = husband. Various types of marriages were prevalent in ancient India Gandharva vivaha (love marriage), Asura vivaha (marriage by abduction) etc. But among these bal-vivaha is conspicuous in its absence. Out of the necessity to preserve itself, the hereditary caste system could have helped in nourishing the practice of child-marriage. A child-marriage need not have been as grand an affair as adult marriages. Hope the present volume will be of immense importance to all those dealing with the subject.