What is kinship? Discuss the functions of kinship in Indian society.

Kinship is that part of culture which deals with notions or ideas about relatedness or relationship through birth and marriage. The kinship organisation refers to a set of persons recognised as relatives either by virture of blood relationship or by virtue of marriage relationship. According to G. Duncan Mitchel 'When we use the term kinship we are referring to people who are related by consanguinity affinity. Consanguinity is a relationship based on supposedly common blood relationship. A consanguine is a relative who was born in the family as well as one who was adopted in the family concerned.

Functions of kinship:Kinship in India represent the diversities of marriage customs and practices. It is not possible to talk of kinship in India at the level of all India generality. Kinship as an organisation in India is mostly an aspect of regional cultures. Iravati Karve has talked about four regions i.e. North, South, East and West in India. Many others, however, talk abovt two systems of kinship in India. (a) The North Indian and (b) the South Indian.

North Indian and the South Indian Kinship systems are also known as Aryan and Dravidian Kinship systems.