ABSTRACT

Marriage is one of the key social institutions of the society that we live in, but today everything around us is changing and so is the concept of marriage. It is no longer useful and essential. The idea of marriage has been re-defined by globalisation. However, the Lepchas still maintain their old marriage customs. This paper seeks to explore the old system of bride price among the Lepcha tribe, the indigenous people of Sikkim and North Bengal. It seeks to look into the marriage rituals and the old system of bride price known as (Taya-Kup-Afaar or Nyom-sa-afar or Myaok panol), and how they have maintained over time. It discusses the importance of a girl in the family, how the family welcomes a girl child and the society celebrates at the birth of a girl in the village. The Lepcha tribe follows the patriarchal system but as far as the property matters are concerned and as long as the girls are not married and taken away by their husbands they have full right of protection. This paper attempts to study the status of women, the pattern of harmony between men and women in the Lepcha tribal society.