Inbreeding among Some Brahman Populations of Tamil Nadu

Abstract

A statewide survey of four endogamous Brahman populations of Tamil Nadu reveals a low level of inbreeding in three of them. In the fourth population, the Thengalai, the level is higher, but not as high as in other social castes. The Tamil Brahmans rank next to the Telugu and the Kanarese Brahmans in this respect. Uncle-niece marriages also occur as in Telugu-speaking populations, and these exceed in the two Ayyangar populations in comparison to the Ayyar. A decline of first-cousin marriages and an increase of uncle-niece marriages are detected in the first two living generations in each population.

Consanguinity, inbreeding and genetic load in salis: A sub divided population of Andhra Pradesh, South India

“…The highest rates of consanguineous marriage in South India are usually reported in traditional rural areas and among the poorest and least educated groups. However, close kin marriage is commonplace even in Brahmin communities [35], and it may be strongly favoured among major land-owning families as a means of ensuring the maintenance of their estates. The only communities in which consanguinity appears to be specifically avoided are those with origins in North India, and which continue to follow the traditions of that region [36].Although the most common form of consanguineous marriage in all major societies is between first cousins, the importance of customary influences is apparent from variations in the specific types of first-cousin marriage contracted.…”

Trends of Isonymy and Inbreeding Among the Ahmadiyyas of Kashmir

“…Lyall (1882) and Risley, in 1891, observed the process of rising in the caste hierarchy by adopting customs of a superior caste and termed this 'aryanisation'. Then as Srinivas (1962) pointed out, a group may follow the customs, ritual, ideology and way of life of higher castes, in order to raise its status in the caste hierarchy. Coupling of surnames occurs where a low-caste person attaches to his original surname that of any high caste (Kashyap, 1973).…”

“…Trends of random (F ST ), non-random (F, s ), total inbreeding (F IT ) and pedigree inbreeding (F p ) coefficients. (1972),Bhalla & Bhatia (1974),Srinivasan & Mukherjee (1976), and Kashyap…”

Inbreeding among three endogamous groups in a multicaste village of Andhra Pradesh, India

“…Dronam Raju and Meerakhan, 1963;Sanghvi, 1966;Chakravartti, 1968;Reid, 1973;Veerraju, 1973;Rami Reddy and Papa Rao, 1978a, b;Roychoudhury, 1976;Tamil Nadu: Centerwall and Centerwall, 1966;Srinivasan and Mukherjee, 1976;Rao and Inbaraj, 1977;and Roychoudhury, 1978;Karnatka: Roychoudhury, 1976;Kerala: Ali, 1968;and Kumar et al, 1967). South Indian populations provide an excellent opportunity for studying the genetic effects of inbreeding since they are known to practice various types of consanguineous marriages.…”