Interfaith Marriages and Negotiated Spaces

Discourse on interfaith marriages in India at present involves diverse narratives ranging from opposition and resistance to acceptance. These alliances deserve greater focus in terms of their uniqueness, challenges as well as everyday negotiations that form part of their lives. Based on narratives of respondents from Dhanak, an organisation of inter-caste and interfaith couples, this article presents some domains of their lives and spaces being negotiated by them within their families. These domains include the issue of conversion, protecting identity, celebration of diversity and socialisation of children, perceptions of themselves vis-à-vis other families and parental outlook towards the alliance.