Question

As a custom whereby an upper social group man marries a lower social group woman is termed :

• A. Patrilocal
• B. Anuloma
• C. Sororate
• D. Levirate

Hint:

Anuloma = higher status male marrying lower status female. Pratiloma = lower status male marrying higher status female.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: Marriage customs in traditional societies are classified on the basis of:
• Social status,
• Kinship relations,
• Residence pattern,
• Cultural rules. In traditional Hindu society, marriages between different social groups were categorized mainly as:
• Anuloma,
• Pratiloma.

Step 1: Understanding Anuloma marriage. Anuloma marriage refers to: \[ \text{Marriage between a higher caste/status male and lower caste/status female} \] Such marriages were considered socially more acceptable in traditional hierarchy compared to the reverse arrangement. Therefore: \[ \boxed{\text{Upper social group man + lower social group woman = Anuloma}} \]

Step 2: Understanding the remaining options. Option (A): \[ \text{Patrilocal} \] Patrilocal refers to residence pattern where: \[ \text{Wife lives with husband's family after marriage} \] It has no relation to social status marriage pattern. Hence, incorrect. Option (C): \[ \text{Sororate} \] Sororate marriage refers to: \[ \text{Marriage of a man with the sister of his deceased wife} \] Thus, unrelated to caste hierarchy. Hence, incorrect. Option (D): \[ \text{Levirate} \] Levirate marriage refers to: \[ \text{Marriage of widow with deceased husband's brother} \] Therefore, incorrect.

Step 3: Final conclusion. Since marriage between an upper social group male and lower social group female is called Anuloma marriage, the correct answer becomes: \[ \boxed{\text{(B) Anuloma}} \]