Patriarchal intrusion in Matrilineal Culture of Meghalaya- An analysis of Domestic Violence against women

With the shifting of point in time, the socio-cultural set up , modernization and with the advent of Christianity, the khasi matrilineal society witnessed the slipping away of Matrilineal and the rising of Patriarchal in the society. Male is more responsible as a father in his wife’s house than an uncle in his sister’s house. He is the head of the family and the decision making power is in his hands. By having the power to decide over the matters in the family, male is taking control over his partner’s life. As regards male domination it is said that patriarchal intrusion into matrilineal society. One out of four khasi women like other women in the world suffer from domestic violence at least once in their life. Its cause is in various which led cruelty and some times death. With modernity, there has been an immense change in the tradition and custom in the matrilineal society among the Khasi people in Meghalaya. Matrilineal society, also called matrilineal, group adhering to a kinship system in which ancestral descent is traced through maternal instead of paternal lines. It is fact that domestic violence and women discrimination is seen in each and every society. Therefore this paper discussed the present context to know and identify the prevalence of domestic violence among women and its consequences in Meghalaya especially among Khasis’. This study used exploratory method for data collection along with police, Mahari and NGOs information.