WATERING THE NEIGHBOUR'S GARDEN: THE GROWING - CICRED

322
T.V. SEKHER - N. HATTI
B Differences found among three communities in Tamil Nadu village
Characteristics Vanniyars Gounders Dalits
1. Joint / Nuclear
family
Both joint and nuclear
families exist among
them.
2. Dowry Depending on economic
status dowry differs.
3. Preference of
size of the family
4. Practice of
family planning
5. Preference for
choosing bride
groom
Prefer to have more than
one child; irrespective of
economic status at least
one male child.
Women go for family
planning without the
consent of men.
Employment is the only
consideration, but in the
past they gave importance
to property.
They prefer the nuclear
family.
Starting from the
minimum level of 15-20
sovereign gold and
Rs.25-50 thousand cash.
Maximum level depends
on the education of the
bridegroom, job
prospects and regular
earnings.
Prefer to have only one
child, that too a male
child.
Women consult men
and accept family
planning with one child.
Land holding and
property is given more
importance at the time
of marriage
Since the housing
facility is not sufficient
they (parents and
married couples) live
under the same roof,
but cook separately.
Demanding dowry is
not compulsory here.
Therefore finding a
bride is not so difficult
compared to other
communities.
Maximum preferences
of children are three
and expect at least one
to be male child.
Both men and women
discuss and undergo
family planning.
Employment is the
only consideration.
6. Practice of
foeticide
Quite often Very rampant Not so high
7. Practice of
infanticide
Very rampant Not so high Quite often
8. Land holding They have land holdings They have more land No land holdings
but less than Gounders holding
9. Condition of Empowered through Not much freedom Empowered through
women
self-help groups (SHGs) within the family SHGs
(Table continues on the following page)