The young woman’s dilemma shows the enduring power of India’s caste system — the rigid social hierarchy that is integral to the Hindu faith — even in the face of modernizing forces such as globalization and rapid economic growth. In particular, it underscores the central role of the caste panchayats, which operate in much of rural India as a kind of parallel justice system, especially on family matters such as marriage and inheritance.
One of three children, Savita Chaudhry grew up in Himatnagar, a sleepy industrial city of about 100,000 people in the western state of Gujarat, about 300 miles southwest of New Delhi. She studied through the ninth grade, then joined her father in the family’s grocery shop, which occupies a front room of their small brick house on a dusty street choked with motor scooters and ambling livestock. She took over the business after her father’s death a few months ago
In symbolic consummation of the union, the bewildered 3-year-old spent the night at the groom’s house, then returned with her parents to Himatnagar. “I don’t consider myself married,” said Chaudhry, who has no memory of the ceremony. “I was 3 years old. It was more like a game than a marriage.”
Savita Chaudhry is determined to do just that, having fallen in love with another man. “It’s very unfair,” she said of the council’s threats. “I’m not some cow or goat.”
END
via: Washington Post
Comments
Savita has rights and conjecture because she is parcel in two cultures a secular regime and a hindu majority. The Regime applys itself to live and the majority wakes its crusadic remorse to apply itself out from secular disgust. Hindus are simple religious people who are a wealthy society and it indignifys them to see ‘poor’ [as they have unmatched philanthropyy and dharamsalas ] which the Secular Regime wins attention of International Organisations and Third world Aid Programmes. I hope Savita is eloping a Hindu and not a victim of ‘Gandhis Farm Secularists’ runnng World News . I just encountered a Gun Store in this city with a partnership from Fort Worth dated 1955 Perhaps with some SWEPO Co. Ha1 Gandhis son lives in Fort worth ..The movie Cartoos [Cartridge] is playing in this peacefull city [During the present International Communication and Gesticulations from Post USA USSR Cold War Ending Era s ] where the families with Allahs grace have no inter murder story .