European Bulletin of Himalayan Research (Jan 2023)
Traditional divorce and māy-absã fasting practices of the Newars of Nepal
Abstract
For the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley, divorce is not a new phenomenon. It has been socially and legally accepted since 1380 when coded laws were introduced in the Kingdom of the Nepal Valley (today’s Kathmandu Valley). Newars are not a homogenous group and this paper explores the diversity in the divorce practices of the various Newar caste groups. Various divorce procedures, including a unique method called māy-absã fasting, are discussed. Traditionally, most Newar women divorce by returning to the husband’s family the marriage confirmation gwe (areca nuts) that their natal family received. Rural and semi-urban farmers have the most unorthodox concepts of marriage, marrying freely, separating/divorcing, remarrying with no social stigma attached. There is some indication that solid family environmental and economic stability has contributed to lowering the divorce rate. One factor that stands out is the current trend of self-chosen intercaste marriage that contributes to an increase in the divorce rate.
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