Sagotra marriages are frowned upon for the reason that the two people in question are like siblings - in a way. Also, in a brahminical marriage, the bride's
gothram is changed
once and for all to the bridegroom's
gothram and this in fact is considered an important ritual. What could be the background for this ritual? A woman's womb was considered a mere receptacle to receive the 'seed' of the man and to provide nourishment for the seed for nine months or so to develop into a baby. Once the baby was delivered, the new being, whether it was a boy or girl, was completely owned by the father, not the mother, who herself, was a 'property' of the father, along with his lands, cattle and other material wealth! All these notions were based on the belief that traits and characteristics are transmitted only from Father to the off-springs and NOT from the Mother. The analogy given as 'evidence' for this belief is like this: if a mango seed and a neem seed are planted in the same garden, the mango seed grows into a mango tree and the neem seed grows into a neem tree, each very different from each other, though the soil in which they both grow is essentially the same.
Now, Science has shown us that this notion is completely wrong and the genes from
both the mother and the father are transmitted to a child who may receive the characteristics of the father, mother and ancestors from both sides, in some unique combination each, so that even if a man and a woman produce a dozen off-springs (not that common, nowadays, of course
), each off-spring is unique.
Now, let us face the facts: Is it not just absurd and totally unscientific that the same society which strongly disapproves a
sagotra marriage between a boy and a girl, completely unrelated, perhaps even hailing from different geographical area, as queried by InquisitiveMind in post #3, tacitly approves the marriage between a boy and a girl, where one's father and the other's mother are brother and sister? The chances of this society-approved couple having a large number of common genes is
much much higher than the
sagotra couple, completely unrelated and even hailing from different geographical areas.
So, what is all this senseless fuss about
sagotra marriages, in the present day context? In the distant past, alliances were always made between families known to each other well and also living in nearby villages. So the restriction from
sagotra angle was perhaps very valid and quite reasonable. But not any more today, I am afraid! I intend no disrespect as such to
dharmashastram but some of the prescriptions in it are no more valid or relevant in modern times. I think it is time that we TaBras stop hiding behind a dilapidated shield any longer. lacking courage to face the new challenges we are bound to come across in these changing times, instead of reasoning out and resolving the issues clearly, sensibly and boldly. I realize what I say here may not be to the liking of some people, but instead of just protesting, let them cogitate deeply enough and then decide.
I am well aware that 'faith' and 'reason' do not go hand in hand and so cause a lot of conflicts, but it is time that we face up the challenges squarely and learn to resolve which one to sacrifice at the cost of which one : 'faith' or 'reason'!
