The age outdated custom of ‘aata saata’ is now changing into a lifestyle in Rajasthan rural areas. Specialists say it’s a fallout of the low intercourse ratio of ladies and the society desires to make use of a certain shot means to make sure an alliance. Aata saata is a system the place a household that enters into an alliance of their daughter solely when the opposite household pledges to present them a daughter to be married of their household. The age of the ladies supplied for matrimony doesn’t matter.
Radha Sen’s elder son was married eight years in the past and he or she has two granddaughters aged 5 and three. She has not been in a position to safe a match for her youthful son as a result of there is no such thing as a woman in your complete clan who will be given in ‘trade’. “I’m now being informed to pledge my little granddaughters. I can’t do this even when my son stays single,” she mentioned.
Related is the case with Mahendra Singh who’s unable to discover a match for his brother who has crossed thirty 5 as they haven’t any woman to present in aata saata. “One can’t take a threat with prolonged households. In the event that they refuse to honour the promise, the bride might be taken away. There have been many such circumstances in my group,” he mentioned.
In keeping with activists, there are a number of causes for this practice gaining prevalence. “Rural folks desire ladies from their communities. As a final resort, they pay to get brides from Assam, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhatisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, which is human trafficking,” says Dr Virendra Vidrohi, a social activist from Alwar.
However concern for conserving property, particularly farmlands, secure from outsiders has precipitated the rise in aata saata. There was a rise within the little one intercourse ratio after 2011. As per Rajasthan authorities information, the intercourse ratio that was 888 females per 1000 males in 2011 has elevated to 925 per 1000 in 2015. “That is the foremost motive why there may be rising insistence on promising even new child ladies in marriage underneath aata saata, mentioned Vidrohi.
Whereas some are succumbing to strain; there’s a glimmer of hope too that there are some will resist; “I plan to deliver an orphan as spouse for my son. I’ll put an software with the federal government houses for this,” mentioned Radha Sen.
ONE OF THE CASES
- Radha Sen’s elder son was married eight years in the past and he or she has two granddaughters aged 5 and three. She has not been in a position to safe a match for her youthful son as a result of there is no such thing as a woman in your complete clan who will be given in ‘trade’.
