Abstract
Marriage in India is primarily based on social stratification of a caste system. In this article we discuss the issues and challenges faced when defying the traditional culture of arranged marriage to enter into an intercaste marriage in the rural Indian context. Guided by the ecocultural theory, we used qualitative methods to collect the data based on phenomenological principles. Data for this study were collected through in-depth interviews with 15 couples who were recruited through purposive and snowball methods. Two key themes emerged during discussions with participants: one from the social context and the other from the personal context. The study findings suggest that even today the caste system is largely prevalent in rural India, which condemns intercaste marriage, and the couple who tries to defy this norm faces dire consequences. We also provide insights to the logic behind the propagation of arranged marriages from the Hindu religion perspective.
