marriage in a gotra
khap panchayats are often criticised for ordering bycott of the couples who have married within the prohibited area i.e. in the same gotra. it is a sign of being advanced to say that khap panchayats are fundamentalists and should be benned. but let us consider some facts. i was reading about the catholic law. the marriage between boy and girl were prohibited if they were first, second, third or fourth cousins i.e if they had common parents in the fifth preceding generation. in the ninth century, the degree of prohibition was increased to seven. the members of the nobility found it difficult to find suitable matches due to this. special dispensation had to be given to overcome this difficulty. later in 1215, the rule was changed back. also fourth cousins could marry without special dispensation. among the christian habesha highlanders of ethiopia and eritrea (the predominantly orthodox christian), it is a tradition to be able to recount one's paternal ancestors at least 7 generations away starting from early childhood, because "those with a common patrilineal ancestor less than seven generations away are considered 'brother and sister' and may not marry." the rule is less strict on the mother's side, where the limit is about four generations back, but still determined patrilinearly. in india Ayurveda clearly states that marriage within the Gotra is a consanguineous marriage which can lead to many gestational and genetic problems in the fetus. So it has become a common practice in the Hindu households during pre-marriage discussions to ask the couples' Gotra. Couples of the same Gotra are not to marry. The advisers of this system say that this practice definitely helps in reducing the gestational problems and ensures a healthy progeny. In south korea, it had historically been forbidden to marry someone with the same surname and clan regardless of the distance of the relation. Such marriage had been prohibited by law until it was ruled unconstitutional in 1999. but the tradition prevails normally. Quran prohibits marriage with "your brother’s daughters, your sister’s daughters". (4:22-24) hindu marriage act sec 3 (g) states – Section 3 (g): "degrees of prohibited relationship" – two persons are said to be within the "degrees of prohibited relationship" – …….. or if the two are brother and sister, uncle and niece, aunt and nephew, or children of brother and sister or of two brothers or of two sisters; Explanation – For the purposes of clauses 3(f) and 3(g), relationship includes – relationship by half or uterine blood as well as by full blood; illegitimate blood relationship as well as legitimate; relationship by adoption as well as by blood; and all terms of relationship in those clauses shall be construed accordingly.