Bonded by Blood Matrilateral Kin in Tamil Kinship

Bonded by Blood: Matrilateral Kin in Tamil Kinship Karin Kapadia The steady fall in status of women in upwardly mobile groups in rural Tamil Nadu and growing anti-female bias in such 'progressive' groups that are benefiting from rural development, is closely linked to the change in marriage system, within these groups, from bride-price to dowry, which in turn has greatly weakened the importance of the matrilateral affinal kin in Tamil kinship. It is the matrilateral kin who to a large degree guaranteed a woman's security and welfare and thai their marginalisation is a major reason why women in upwardly mobile groups are increasingly at risk.