Gender, Astrology and Manglik Dosha : Marriage among the Dogra Hindus of Jammu

In several Hindu communities in India, astrology continues to shape epistemic authority in marriage-related decisions. This article examines how Manglik dosha , the astrological state determined by Mars’s placement, impacts marriage delays and marital stability from a gendered perspective. It highlights how these conditions affect Manglik women differently and explores how they construct responses and strategize marriage decisions. The study focuses on Dogra Hindus in Jammu District, of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The research employs a mixed-methods approach which combines the lived experiences of long-married women respondents, women from matrimonial bureaus and narratives from individuals who faced marital disruptions. Quantitative data gathered and compiled statistically is supplemented by qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews and case studies. Drawing on feminist sociology, phenomenological perspectives and South Asian kinship studies, this article shows how ritual knowledge both allows renegotiation in dynamic marriage markets and reinforces gendered social control. The findings reveal that marriage-related astrology acts both as a social regulation tool and as a platform for bargaining in contemporary matrimonial practices.