see Lawrence Babb, The Divine
Hierarchy, 1975. See also marriage,
eight classical forms.
Marriage Prohibitions
As in other cultures, Hindus have well-
defined rules and prohibitions regard-
ing whom one should and should not
marry—marriages should be endoga-
mous, that is, between members of the
same social subgroup (in this case, the
jati). Within this larger community, it is
generally accepted that the bride and
groom should not come from the same
gotraor the same pravara—both mythic
lineages detailing relationships with
ancient sages. The other strong prohibi-
tion was on marrying those with whom
one had a sapindarelationship—com-
mon ancestry. According to one well-
known code of law, the Mitakshara, the
sapinda relationship ceases after the
seventh generation on the father’s
side, and the fifth generation on the
mother’s. People with common
ancestors beyond those boundaries may
contract a valid marriage.
This sapinda formula was routinely
ignored, particularly in parts of
southern India, where marrying one’s
maternal uncle’s daughter was not
only permitted, but considered com-
mendable. While some of the texts in
the dharma literaturecondemn the
practice as an abomination, others
note that this is a practice peculiar to
the south, where it is permitted only
as part of the family’s customary
practice (kulachara).
There is a long history for cross-
cousin marriage in southern India; it is a
common practice even today. Among
southern Indian brahmins, there is
some speculation that their relatively
small population—about four percent
of the total—made it impossible to find
brahminspouses under the strict crite-
ria. Given the competing imperatives to
marry other brahmins and to observe
the lineage restrictions, this custom was
deemed less important.
Mars
In Hindu astrology (jyotisha), a planet
associated with activity, war, and mis-
fortune. Due to these associations, Mars
is considered a strong yet malignant
planetary force. Tuesday,the dayof the
weekruled by Mars, is considered an
inauspicious day, a day on which people
often perform rites of protection to
safeguard themselves from Mars’s bale-
ful influence.Marshall, Sir John
Director General of the Archeological
Survey of India (ASI) from 1901 until
his retirement in 1931. During his tenure
as director, Marshall discovered then
excavated the cities of the Indus Valley
civilization, for which he received
his British knighthood. He also carried
on the work of his predecessors at
the ASI, particularly Sir Alexander
Cunningham, documenting and cata-
loging India’s archeological artifacts.Martand
Village in the state of Jammu and
Kashmirabout forty miles southeast of
Shrinagar, the capital. Martand is noted
as an architectural history site, bestMartandThe village of Martand is known for its ruins of an
eighth-century temple built to the sun god.