Carrie Chapman Catt - Diaries, India, January - February? 1912 (Box 1, Folder 5)

...has a baile or house similarly [illegible] but with open sides in which the village council meets. These sharply curved roofs with shining metal tips present a picturesque view peopling but few groves of coco palms, bananas.

The lands and houses belong to the women. Marriages are exogamic and in general the husband goes to live in the ome of his motherinlaw taking the name of her clan and family. The children belong absolutely to the mother. The daughters inherit her property, and the sons and daughters one half of any property the husband & wife may earn together. The other half goes to the childre of the husband's sisters.

Marriage is always exogamic and before the day of Mohammedanism, all husbands doubtless want to live in the homes of their mothersinlaw as is the custom under the matriarchate. The Polygamy allowed by Mohamet interfered with this practice and a curious compromise was effected between the opposing institutions which has permitted both to exist. The husband now remains in the family of his own mother and merely visits his wife in the motherinlaw's home. If he takes the four wives which the Koran authorizes, he usually spends a week with each or at least he times his visits of equal lengths. Watchful motherinlaws with with an eye to the family exchequer see to it that he does not overstay this prescribed period. Here he eats and...

...sleeps in the apartment of his wife. In former times, since the women controlled the land and carried the family pocket book, the husband's made no contribution to the care of their children. Instead they were supported by their wives and received their pocket money as a gift from them. Now many men have attained "economic independence" through the opening of new occupations and business opportunities brought about by the Dutch occupancy and such men are expected to bring a gift of food, clothing, or money to their wives upon the occasion of each visit. No law compels this attention but popular opinion has thus far done its perfect and few men avoid the obligation.

Men are now beginning to accumulate property of their own. One headman, who is the husband of four rich wives, has acquired a piece of land under the shadow of a mountain cliff, and has built a tiny house in the midst of a beautiful and well cultivated garden of coco palms, cassava plants, banana and papya trees. He eats his meals in the homes of his four mothersinlaw, but when he desires a period of private and peaceful meditation he retires to this charming retreat where the silence is only broken by the musical sound of the not distant water fall and the singing of birds.