Marriage practices of Chepang and Tamang communities: Legal consequences and implications post-federalization in Nepal"

Chepang and Tamang ethnics are the backward communities living with substantial farming system. The marriage practice is traditional, elope, love and arrange. The legal age stands 20 years for Nepalese but estimated 40 percent in rural areas ongoing child marriage. This study aims to explore marriage consequences and legal aspects in three consecutive Rural municipalities of Makwanpur district. A descriptive study with cross-sectional analysis was taken for Chepang and Tamang respondents. The study followed the mixed method where KII, FGD and key field notes were taken. The field survey took 3 months (March to July 2023). The age of couple during marriage is recorded as 14 to 15 years. Traditional marriage system following male and female proposals tiding into the marriage approaching by elders of the family. Whereas, love and elope marriage cases are rapidly increasing due to the uses of social networking platforms connecting youth through Android mobiles. The communication of males/ females noticed schools, fairs, social and ritual gatherings before marriage. The Chepang and Tamang customs agreed to accept all types of marriage made through groom/ bride at the end. The legal age of marriage is recorded as 20 years as per the Law and most people are well aware but still no legal cases or complaints raised in the community considering norms and values of the Chepang and Tamang cultures. The study concluded further that marriage at an early age is no doubt a child marriage and law and legitimacy are a strong factor but this is not applied rural-areas as the local customs and norms are prime factors to running the society and the local values and norms are much above than law. Policy advice to decrease the marriage age is advised.