South Asian arranged marriages: cultural contexts and practices

¶ … high rate of marriages to relatives. Furthermore, the high rate of such marriage is not simple reflected by a cultural preference. Various factors are included for further explanation and the influence of the decision and choices of arranged marriages, arranged by the elders particularly of the Pakistani who migrated to Britain. This article also includes about the caste, socio economic status and upbringing to focus the discovered processes which have generated from the ancestors.

South Asian Arranged Marriages

Arranged marriages were practiced by the kinship groups in South Asian sub-continent before they migrated towards Britain which took place during 1950s. It remained popular among the South Asian's although it has been argued by the anthropologists that arrange marriages in Britain are an economic arrangement between the two families. However, others have said that it's a way to maintain the family honor.

British Pakistanis expose a large section of kin marriages. Most of their marriages are arranged, especially with their relatives. Most of the Pakistanis themselves points out on the majority marriages which take place within the caste or in other words biradari. Many Pakistanis also justify that close kin marriages are also preferred in Islam. In this way they preserve the purity of the blood by giving importance to the qualities of their caste. These marriages indeed do take place with the first cousin. Although, these marriages do not have any choices, they simply follow the cultural preference by getting married with kin. If a Pakistani women dishonor their parents and the family respect, the result will be her death. However, these cases mostly represent the extremes but there are some principles at work which can be less dramatic and as well as more sensational cases. Women are mostly the victims of violence incidents and death threats. Many of the young girls do refuse to go through an arrange marriage, due to this they are killed or forced to get married, which is arranged by her elders.

Pakistanis are mostly concerned with the matters of sexuality, childbearing and birth control. Having children is the main part of any Pakistani family. British Pakistanis set their limits of ideas and system to practice in the matter of health and illness, mostly by home made remedies or homeopathy. "..."

In a Pakistani family, a person who get married with kin, will be having a life long obligation with the relatives from the same caste. In this frame work, there is a bit of flexibility but as socio economic considerations are significant for particular marriage choices. In such cases, an individual who is involved in such situation, calls upon an idea of a shared blood concept even if there is no inherited relationship. This way, participants considers themselves as the nature of the relationship between the inherited kinship and the household. This however, it effect's the rule of fraternal solidarity, which is explained in various ways. It highlights the give and take concept forming a mutual bond between the households. This concept does involve the members of family or friends clearly reflecting both kinship relationships plus fraternal solidarity between kin and non-kin.