PATELS BUYING TRIBAL BRIDES FOR THEIR BOYS

1. Gujarati Community Seeking Tribal Brides For Their Boys

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AHMEDABAD, INDIA, November 2, 2006: The Patel community in Gujarat, known for their entrepreneurial skill and hold over agriculture and business, is facing an unusual sociological crisis--a skewed male-female ratio and having to "buy" tribal brides for their boys, says this article. An unbalanced male-female ratio in the Patel community--especially among the Kadva Patels--has created a severe sociological problem. As a result of declining female ratio (ie, fewer girls than boys), the Patels are going to tribal areas of Vadodara, Bharuch, Panchmahals and other districts of Gujarat to "buy" tribal girls by paying around US$1,115 to US$2,230. "There are not enough Patel girls to marry the Patel boys. As a result, they are forced to buy girls from tribal areas of Gujarat to get their boys married," said Gaurang Jani, a noted sociologist of Gujarat University. Among the Patels, there are two sub-castes--the Leva Patels and the Kadva Patels. Though both of these sections of Patels are enterprising and have made a name for themselves around the world as entrepreneurs and businessmen, the Leva Patels are better off economically.