Hindu Marriage: A Religious Duty and Not a Contract
The Hindus have been giving great importance for marriage since time immemorial. Marriage is almost obligatory and unavoidable for an average Indian. Life without marriage is almost unthinkable in this country and there is a sharp social stigma attached to those who remain unmarried for long. There is a deep-rooted, long standing and widespread tradition here in favour of marriage as a basic ritual. Hence C.B. Mamoria rightly commented that “we are a much marrying people, We marry early and we marry in large number.”
Hindu Marriage: A Religious Duty and Not a Contract
Marriage is a matter of religious duty for the Hindus. Every Hindu is committed to marriage for the regards it as a great sacrament. [sacred Vivaha Samskara]. For the Hindus, marriage is not a matter of “social contract”, nor is it deemed as “a licence for sex life”. In the Hindu scheme of the Ashramas, one can enter the much praised “grihasthashrama” only after the marriage. With the marriage sacrament, man and woman as husband and wife establish the family, the home or “griha”.