Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c7.s1.81

c7.s1.81

(a) *Marriage.*—There was no fixed limit for the age of marriage. Both Hindus and Muslims favoured an early age for boys and girls.² Akbar wished to interfere with these conditions and fixed the minimum age limit at 16 years for boys and 14 for girls. It is difficult to say how far his enactments were carried out.³ Conferring their children in marriage and supervising the attendant customs and ceremonies was the privilege of the parents, especially the father.⁴ The marriage of their children involved many delicate and complicated problems, for instance, those of family status, ancestral rites and traditions, and the social honour of the parties. The parents usually carried out their responsibilities most scrupulously in every detail. Marriage was more a family question than a personal concern of the marrying couple.