boys. Even allowing
for those provinces where cohabitation is delayed, these figures mean in
other provinces a cruel wrong to the children of the weaker sex, a
doubly cruel wrong when to premature marriage may be added girl
widowhood. The _Census Report_ declares that in the lower strata of
Hindu society there has been a rapid extension of child marriage and
prohibition of the marriage of widows within the last two or three
generations, although at the low age of 10, fewer girls are reported
married than in 1881.[25] That is to say, the bad example of the higher
castes is lowering the marriage age in the humble castes, while modern
influences are diminishing the number of marriages of mere children,--we
can see both forces in operation. Here again Indian Christians,
Br[=a]hmas, and [=A]ryas are at one in setting a better example and
advocating reform. The educative Act of 1891 for British India has also
been noted above. Native States too are following up. In Rajputana,
through the influence of the Agent of the Governor-General, Colonel
Walter, an association was formed in 1888 which fixed the marriage age
for two of the chief castes at eighteen for the bridegroom and fourteen
for the bride. In the Native State of Baroda, in the extreme West of
India, a new Marriage Act has just been passed by the enlightened ruler
[1904]. In Baroda, except in special cases, the minimum marriage age of
girls is henceforward to be twelve, and of the bridegrooms sixteen.
Exceptional cases had to be provided for, because of the custom in
certain communities within the state of Baroda to celebrate marriages
only once every twelve years, female infants and girls of ten and twelve
being then "happily despatched" together. With that custom and with the
new Act together, it would necessarily happen that girls of eleven at
the general marrying time would have to wait twelve years more, or until
their twenty-third year. Since in some parts of India there is a saying
about women "Old at twenty," that delay would not do. All educated young
men may be said to hold the new ideas in these marriage matters.
Students now regard it with regret and some sense of a grievance when
their guardians have married them in their school or college years. The
only alleviation to their minds is when the dowry which they bring into
the family at their marriage helps to endow a sister who has reached the
marriage age, or to educate a brother or pay off the family debts.