Conceptions of Marital Quality in Mithila (North Bihar), India

A Study in Cultural Geography

Abstract

Marriage is a social system through which a man and women come closer to each other and start living together. Intact and harmonious marital relationships are required not only for the well-being of the individual but also for the society in the broader sense. This paper describes the conception of marital quality held by respondents of an arranged marriage society living in a village in Mithila (Bihar), India through an analysis of semi-structured interviews (n=50). The conception of marital quality is concluded in the form of life partner, and characterized by love, harmony, understanding, communication, trust and most uniquely balance. Properly balancing the marital relationship with parental relationship is an important dimension of marital quality which is absent in western context.  This article is a small contribution to the scholarly discussion of women’s expressive traditions.