Early Marriage of Girls in Contemporary Bengal

The problem of early marriage of girls constitutes a part of India’s social tradition since time immemorial and it continues to prevail due to a combination of traditional and modern factors. In West Bengal too, the complicity to child marriage continues silently even though the issue drew the attention of Bengal social reformers in the 19th Century. Despite legal and administrative interventions, rural stakeholders remain authoritarian and patriarchal in appreciating the desires of adolescent girls. This article, based on field data from the Malda district of North Bengal, tries to analyse the gravity, causes and consequences of child marriage. It also attempts to suggest possible strategies and role model to tackle the social evil.