NO RECIPROCATION - WIFE-GIVERS AND WIFE-TAKERS AND THE BARTAN OF THE SAMSKARA AMONG THE KHATRIS OF MANDI, HIMACHAL-PRADESH

The aim of this paper is to question the paradigm-which is also centra l to Parry's theory of the 'Indian gift'-of the unilaterality of the g ift structure among wife-givers and wife-takers in north India on the occasion of marriage and other samskara. On the basis of detailed ethn ography, it will be shown that the gift giving system (bartan) of the urban Khatri in Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) does not substantiate this th eory of unilaterality. In Mandi there is definitely an asymmetric, but not a clear-cut unilateral, structure. Even with regard to kanyadan, reciprocation seems to be more complex than the soteriological argumen t of Trautmann and Parry suggests. It will be further argued that, wit h regard to Mandi, proportional, asymmetric reciprocation is central t o the system of bartan, which implies a gift exchange in Mauss' catego ries. Bartan is conditioned by the content and structure of the rites de passage, by the general hierarchical social order, by the kin struc ture, and by asymmetry of giving, receiving and returning of gifts wit hin the life cycle and over the generations.