• Amol Meshram

ABSTRACT Among the sixteen rituals in Indian culture, marriage rituals have special importance. Seeing the evils of child marriage, social reformers from time to time took measures to create public awareness. The Government of India has made a strict law in this regard and has legally prohibited marriage of girls below the age of eighteen years and boys below the age of twenty-one years. Yet child marriages are continuing to take place. Child marriage violates the rights of children and puts them at risk of violence, exploitation and sexual abuse. A girl who gets married at an early age reduces her ability to earn and contribute to the community. She is at increased risk of becoming a victim of domestic violence and HIV/AIDS. This evil practice is more prevalent in villages rather than cities. Marrying at a young age reduces the cost of marriage and does not have to pay dowry. The belief that the elderly will attain heaven by seeing their granddaughter's marriage while they are alive are also major obstacles in stopping this practice. In today's time, when love marriage is more popular, child marriages taking place at a young age later become the cause of discord and conflicts in marital life. Many times the problem of divorce arises. Due to child marriage, we are suffering its consequences today in the form of deterioration in women's health, hindrance in balanced development and increase in maternal and child mortality. Basically, illiteracy in the society. And due to lack of awareness, child marriage has made deep roots in the society. Even today, people with medieval thinking consider daughters as someone else's wealth or a burden. To eradicate this curse from our society, everyone will have to become aware and end this evil.

Key Word- Child Marriage, communities, Madhya Pradesh, Akshaya Tritiya

"Child Marriage- A Social crime, in the context of Madhya Pradesh", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 1, page no.h31-h35, January-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2501703.pdf

"Child Marriage- A Social crime, in the context of Madhya Pradesh", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 1, page no. pph31-h35, January-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2501703.pdf