Intercaste marriage (ICM), also known as marrying out of caste, is a form of

exogamous Exogamy is the social norm of marrying outside one's social group. The group defines the scope and extent of exogamy, and the rules and enforcement mechanisms that ensure its continuity. One form of exogamy is dual exogamy, in which two groups c ...

nuptial union that involve two individuals belonging to different

caste Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultura ...

s. Intercaste marriages are particularly perceived as

socially unacceptable Acceptance in human psychology is a person's assent to the reality of a situation, recognizing a process or condition (often a negative or uncomfortable situation) without attempting to change it or protest it. The concept is close in meaning to ...

and

taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...

in most parts of

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. ...

By region

5.8% of marriages in India is Intercaste marriage.

Nepal

Nepal has many castes and inter-caste marriage is generally considered taboo. However, this kind of marriage has been gradually gaining acceptance. In 1854, the Government of Nepal passed the "Muluki Ain" commissioned by

Jung Bahadur Rana Maharaja Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, (born Bir Narsingh Kunwar ( ne, वीर नरसिंह कुँवर), 18 June 1817; popularly known as Jung Bahadur Rana (JBR, ne, जङ्गबहादुर राणा)) () belonging to the ...

. This law outlawed marriage between people of a lower caste with those of a higher caste. In 1963, King Mahendra modified the law to abolish the "caste-based unequal citizenship". Since then, inter-caste marriage has been gradually gaining acceptance throughout Nepal. In 2009, the Government of Nepal announced that it would give a sum of रू100,000

Nepalese rupee The Nepalese rupee ( ne, रुपैयाँ; symbol: रु; code: NPR) is the official currency of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. The Nepalese rupee is subdivided into 100 ''paisa''. The issuance of the currency is controlled by t ...

s (roughly US$1,350) away to couples who have an inter-caste marriage. The recipients would have to claim the sum within 30 days of the marriage. Republica, however, has reported that there was no "government assistance for Dalit women" who were left jilted by their upper-caste husbands.

Pakistan

Although “ love marriages” not arranged by families may be allowed among the upper class Pakistanis, among other social classes intercaste marriages are socially not accepted. A 2011 study that examined Punjabi women reported that women in intercaste marriages are subjected to a greater risk of violence compared to other Pakistani women in general.

Honor killing An honor killing (American English), honour killing (Commonwealth English), or shame killing is the murder of an individual, either an outsider or a member of a family, by someone seeking to protect what they see as the dignity and honor of ...

s due to intercaste marriages have been extensively reported by Pakistani media agencies.

South Asian diaspora

Intercaste marriages in diaspora communities of people of South Asian descent, such as those in

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and No ...

, are reported to be not prevalent. In 2011 an intercaste couple from UK claimed that their bosses had discriminated against them because of their relationship.

Religious views

Islam

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...

does not prevent marriages between individuals based on racial, ethnological, tribal or caste grounds, though every marriage still need to conform Islamic marital laws that prevents marriage of a muslim women to a non muslim men and a muslim men to polytheist women.

References

{{Reflist Morganatic marriage Exogamy Caste