This book investigates the historical transformation of Hindu marriage from a traditional religious sacrament to a secular legal contract within the Indian judicial framework. Dr. Monmayee Basu, a lecturer at the University of Delhi, utilizes a socio-legal approach to examine how legislative interventions and colonial-era policies reshaped domestic life. The text argues that these shifts reflect broader changes in the status of women and the evolving role of the state in regulating private family matters.

Scholars and legal historians recognize this work as a detailed resource for understanding the intersection of gender, religion, and law in India. Readers frequently note the academic rigor of the prose, making it a valuable reference for students and researchers in the field of South Asian studies.