Position of Marriage & Women during Early Medieval India

The knowledge about the traditions prevalent in the institution of marriage in that era comes from two works viz. Smritichandrika and Smrityarthasara. The former says that the intercaste marriage is forbidden in Kaliyuga. Savarna marriages are necessary for the performance of religious rites, while Asavarna marriages are of an inferior type as being dictated by desire.

• The later says that the marriage of Brahmins with Shudra women forbidden not the same in other castes.
• The polygamy was prevalent in the royal class and has been well documented in Vaijayanti.

The women’s position is far degraded from that in early eras. The husband and other male relations, to begin with must so arrange things that the wife never becomes independent. The wife must also be guarded not only against physical but also against mental unchastity for the sake of her offspring. wife’s right to maintenance in case of her supersession , they provide for her residence in her husband’s house as well as her maintenance even in the event of her committing adultery. When the wife is guilty of slight adultery, she must be maintained, though deprived of conjugal rights, till her performance of a penance