Widow remarriage in Haryana. Law strengthens repressiveness of popular culture.

Widow remarriage practices in the Punjab-Haryana region of northern India are described as frequently mismatched and undesirable alliances, without widow choice, which serve to support the practice of polygamy. The average spacing between arranged spouses could be 10 years, with the younger spouse being the brother-in-law (this customary practice of remarriage within the husbands' family is called "karewa"). Karewa could involve a minor aged 3 years or 13-14 years of age. Usually the village and family elders will support the practice of remarriage to a minor. The widow may be forced to stay with parents-in-law until the minor comes of age. Sometimes widows run away with older men or form a polygamous union. Remarriage in a polygamous union is socially acceptable because the first wife may have been barren or produced only daughters; the practice is desirable because it assures one more worker in the family. Karewa is desirable as a means to control a widow's sexuality and to control landed property and government pensions. Laws such as the Hindu Succession Act of 1956 act as an incentive to karewa by granting absolute right of inheritance to widows. The financial benefits to a family can be considerable. Pensions can be withdrawn if the widow remarries outside her deceased husband's family. The motivation for karewa can be fear and apprehension as well as greed. Marriage may be arranged within two weeks of a husband's funeral, instead of the customary year, out of fear that the widow may settle elsewhere. The War Widows Guild has recorded the exploitation and suffering of widows under this system. Widows who object to karewa have few options. In 1981, under 1% of rural widows in Haryana were of marriageable age (16-44 years) and unmarried. A widow with children has, with almost 100% certainty, a karewa marriage. The threat of economic hardship reinforces the practice as does the force of custom, patriarchy, and the state of India.