What are the “prohibited degree of relationships” under the Special Marriage Act, 1954?

For people marrying as per the Hindu customers in India, there are certain relationships which are prohibited from getting married as per the law of the land. These prohibited degrees of relationships are derived from the age old beliefs and customs of the people of this country. These may or may not have any scientific reasons but derive their force from conventions and practices. If marriages are held within these  relationships, these are declared to be void legally. These do not have the legal sanction. The circumstances which make the marriages void and voidable are discussed here but let us have a look at the prohibited degrees of relationships. The same also applied for the Arya Samaj Marriage or any other marriage conduct in a different way.

These are provide in First Schedule Part I and II, as per the following table. Part I meant for the male person and the Part II is meant for the female person who want to get married.

PART I	PART II
1. Mother	1. Father
2. Father's widow (step-mother)	2. Mother's husband (step-father)
3. Mother's mother	3. Father's father
4. Mother's father's widow (step grand-mother)	4. Father's mother's husband (step-grandmother)
5. Mother's mother's mother	5. Father's father's father
6. Mother's mother's father's widow (step-great-grandmother)	6. Father's father's mother's husband (step-great-grandfather)
7. Mother's father's mother	7. Father's mother's father
8. Mother's father's father's widow (step-great-grandmother)	8. Father's mother's mother's husband (step-great-grandfather)
9. Father's mother	9. Mother's father
10. Father's father's widow (step-grandmother)	10. Mother's mother's husband (step-grandfather)
11. Father's mother's mother	11. Mother's father's father
12. Father's mother's father's widow (step-great-grandmother)	12. Mother's father's mother's husband (step-great-grandfather)
13. Father's father's mother	13. Mother's mother's father
14. Father's father's father's widow (step-great-grandmother)	14. Mother's mother's mother's husband(step-great-grandfather)
15. Daughter	15. Son
16. Son's widow	16. Daughter's husband
17. Daughter's daughter	17. Son's son
18. Daughter's son's widow	18. Son's daughter's husband
19. Son's daughter	19. Daughter's son
20. Son's son's widow	20. Daughter's daughter's husband
21. Daughter's daughter's daughter	21. Son's son's son
22. Daughter's daughter's son's widow	22. Son's son's daughter's husband
23. Daughter's son's daughter	23. Son's daughter's son
24. Daughter's son's son's widow	24. Son's daughter's daughter's husband
25. Son's daughter's daughter	25. Daughter's son's son
26. Son's daughter's son's widow	26. Daughter's son's daughter's husband
27. Son's son's daughter	27. Daughter's daughter's son
28. Son's son's son's widow	28. Daughter's daughter's daughter's husband
29. Sister	29. Brother
30. Sister's daughter	30. Brother's son
31. Brother's daughter	31. Sister's son
32. Mother's sister	32. Mother's brother
33.Father's sister	33. Father's brother
34. Father's brother's daughter	34. Father's brother's son
35. Father's sister's daughter	35. Father's sister's son
36. Mother's sister's-daughter	36. Mother's sister's son
37. Mother's brother's daughter	37. Mother's brother's son

Besides mentioning these relations explicitly, the law also provides that the term meaning of the term ‘relationship’ includes the following which are also prohibited:

1. relationship existing due to half or uterine blood or even by the full blood. To make things clear, a ‘half blood’ relationship is when there is a common ancestor but different wives, and a ‘full blood’ relationship is the one which has common ancestor and same wife. At the same time, it shall be mentioned that the ‘uterine blood’ relationship between two persons is said to exist when they have common ancestress but different husbands.

2. legitimate as well as illegitimate blood relationship.

3. relationship by adoption as well as by blood.

We have heard about difference in lifestyles in the cities and villages in India. How different are the weddings?

We all wish to see progress in the nation - villages and cities alike. The general trend in India has been that people from villages travel to cities for a better living. The older people, on the other hand, boast of the age-old traditions and culture in villages that has been carried forward by many generations. Wedding is considered as the most important event of a person's life everywhere as this one decision changes the life of the couple forever. While the motive is same but people follow different rituals in cities and villages.

For instance, there is an increasing trend of elaborate weddings in Haryana but is defined differently at different places. In villages, many rituals are conducted before and after the wedding. They conduct pujas before marriage so that the marriage is completed in a smooth manner. The relatives get involved in every little preparations that goes on for at least a week. On the other hand, in cities people focus more on spending extravagantly by hiring wedding planners and the marriage is spread over 2-3 days only. In big cities, people have time constraints and therefore, all the rituals are modified and made as concise as possible.

The reason behind this difference is mainly due to different attitude. People in villages in Haryana give more importance to relations and hence, do not invest much amount on the decorations and lighting etc. But this tradition is being adopted in cities also. People are now realizing the waste of money and time in making the wedding day so special. Moreover, institutions such as Arya Samaj has also helped to change this whole attitude towards wedding. For instance, Arya Samaj marriages in Haryana have increased in the recent past. This makes it easy for people coming from villages as well as cities to go to the nearest Arya Samaj Mandir in Haryana and apply for a legal wedding at minimal expenses. This way, people will get to invest more in their future and make their lives happier and more beautiful.