Administrative System of the Marathas c20.s5: 8. Informal Marriage
Administrative System of the Marathas c20.s5
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8. Informal Marriage
c20.s5.1
But neither the Peshwas nor the people of those times were unreasonable. Sometimes they would tolerate the omission of form if the motive was good, as the case quoted below amply illustrates. Sambhaji, son of Harji Gauli of Mauja Abte of Tarf Nid in Prant Kalyan came to the Huzur and represented that after the death of Singrup Gauli, his wife, after wandering here and there, came to Sambhaji's father Harji and lived with him. Harji had by her a son named Chimaji before the *Muhurta* marriage could be performed. After that both Harji and the woman died. At the time of his death Harji requested his son Sambhaji to get Chimaji legitimatised with the consent of the *got*. Thereupon Sambhaji and his uncle brought the whole fact of the case to the notice of the *got*, and they consented to get Chimaji married in a Poona family. He requested that the Saheb should issue orders to the *got* of Poona. A letter was issued and the Gaulis of Poona also admitted Chimaji into their caste.²¹
c20.s5.2
²¹ P. D., Vol. VII, pp. 325-326.
c20.s5.3
An informal marriage, though not complete for legal purposes, was declared valid if children were born to the pair. In 1755-56 the carpenter community of Sarkars Junnar, Sangamner, Baglan, and Daulatabad were ordered to acknowledge a *Shastra Vivaha* between Khandoji Banrao, a carpenter of Mauja Redgaon, and a woman after she had borne him a son. Khandoji had to pay a Nazar of Rs. 1,001 to the government on this occasion. "A letter to the Sutar community of Sarkars Junnar, Sangamner, Baglan and Daulatabad: Khandoji Banrao, a Sutar of Mauja Redgaon and Sirbande, of Pargana Chandvad, came to the Huzur, and represented that his first and second wives legally married to him (wives of Lagna marriage) were without any issue. His third wife, a woman of the carpenter caste, was married to him according to the *Shastra Vivaha* rites. Her name was Haibati, and she had borne him a son. He therefore prayed that hi caste men should be ordered to admit her into the caste after the usual assembly of the community. The *got* is ordered to assemble and admit Haibati to their caste."²²
c20.s5.4
²² P. D., Vol. II, p. 208.
c20.s5.5
It seems this laxity in marriage laws was allowed only among the lower castes. But in one case at least, we find that a parent's fault was not allowed to add a lasting stigma to the social position of the son even among higher castes. A letter from Shrinivas Parashram Pratinidhi to the Brahman community of Karhad relates that, the mother of Apaji Ram of Masur, was accused of adultery, and went to her parent's house, but Apaji should have the right of dining with his caste people and he has been purified by a Prayashchitta ceremony. All Brahmans should therefore procure that right for him.²³
c20.s5.6
²³ B. I. S. M., Tritiya Sammelan Vritta, p. 96.