Wl-6781-Marriage Customs and Practices in India

Drawing on evidence from the second round of the India Human Development Survey (IHDS-2) and ethnographic findings from previous studies, this article empirically examines prevailing marriage customs and practices in India. It specifically analyses patterns of mate selection, dowry, endogamy and exogamy, consanguinity, and hypergamy across major states and socio-religious groups. The findings reveal that most marriages are arranged by parents or relatives, with only 5% of women independently choosing their husbands. Dowry (including wedding-related expenses) remains widespread across all social groups. Village exogamy is more common in North India, while endogamous marriages are predominant in the southern states. Inter-caste marriage is low and socially discouraged in most regions, with a national prevalence of just 5.4%. Consanguineous marriages are more common among Muslims than Hindus and are generally prohibited among Brahmins, with only 3.1% marrying within blood relations. However, uncle-niece and cross-cousin marriages are relatively prevalent among Dalits and other backward castes. Data also indicate that educational hypergamy—where men marry women with lower levels of education—is practised in both rural and urban areas. The traditional norms of marriage continue to uphold the structure of patriarchy in Indian society

Caste · Dowry · Endogamy · Entitlement (fair division · Ethnography · Exogamy · Kinship · Patriarchy · Population · Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences · Land Rights and Reforms · South Asian Studies and Conflicts

• Embellished traditions

  Joanna Mahjebeen, Priyanka Kumari Kushwaha•International Journal of…•2026

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