Q.

Examine how Leela Dube uses the metaphor of seed and earth to explore the
materiality of patrilineal kinship.

I will be writing this essay by referring to “Anthropological explorations in gender :

intersecting fields “ by Leela Dube (2001). There seems to be a parallel between the
asymmetry inherent in biological reproduction, as conceptualized within the culture through
the symbolic use of the terms "seed" and "earth" to represent the differing contributions of
males and females, and the asymmetry present in systems of production relations. These
structural rules dictate ownership, control, and utilization of productive resources, as well as
the structure and operation of domestic organization. Dube attemots to investigate this
interlinkage.

To begin with, In numerous regions of northern and central India, as well as in certain areas
of eastern India, the concept of biological reproduction is often conveyed through
metaphorical language, employing the terms "seed" and "earth" interchangeably with "field."
The "seed" typically signifies the paternal contribution, while the "field" symbolizes the
maternal aspect. It is understood that the seed resides within the semen, which is believed to
share a connection with blood.

The conception of the process of human production seems to have formed part of both the
literary traditions and people's consciousness through the ages. In contemporary times its
presence is reported in a number of anthropological writings based on field investigation
carried out in different regions of the country.

In ancient as well as in Sanskrit texts dealing with law, society and rites de passage, the
phenomenon of conception has the male seed literally falling into the female field. The
main purpose of marriage was seen to be the creation of offspring, with a distinct
emphasis on male progeny.The Mahabharata contains references to bringing a substitute for
the husband to contribute the seed for the sake of progeny. The smritis also contains such
references regarding the arrangements of a substitute for a husband from among his brothers,
lineage mate or clan mates whose seed was considered acceptable in those days. The seed
and the field are recurrent symbols of Hindu marriage ritual, Kshetra Samskara or the rite of
consecration of the field is aimed at purifying the bride's womb for receiving the seed. A
number of rites in the complex of marriage rituals dramatize the values of firmness,
steadfastness, fidelity and devotion of the wife to the husband for the sake of progeny.
Indeed, the woman's conjugal fidelity is a precondition for the acquiring of progeny by the
man.In patrilineal Hindu communities and many tribal groups, rituals like giving away the
bride, bidding her farewell, are common parts of the marriage customs and part of the larger
patrilineal marriage complex. .

It is to be noted that the premium placed on the birth of sons is made more than explicit in
the blessings, wishes and expectations contained in a number of verses meant to be used
on various occasions in the complex of marriage ritual. Special rites are recommended for
those who are desirous of obtaining a male child. The foremost duty of a man is to become
a householder and perpetuate the family or lineage through male off spring, which cannot
be fulfilled in the absence of a son.

Moreover, The metaphor of seed and field to refer respectively to the male and the female
contribution in biological reproduction has been reported in Indian ethnography of tribal and
rural communities. The Kamar tribe of Madhya Pradesh and Orissa , expressed the causal
relationship between sexual intercourse and conception. But mere sexual intercourse would
not be enough for conception. A woman would not conceive unless there was some ancestral
spirit longing to be reborn into the family or god has a soul to spare. Even amongst the Gond
women, the ideology of the seed and the earth are deeply rooted in their consciousness.

Infertility is explained by saying that just as there are infertile fields in which seeds do not
germinate, so also there are women in whose womb the seed of man can never take the
shape of a baby. Similarly, some men are capable of having coitus with women but there is
no seed in their stomach. If the physical appearance of a low caste boy and the quality of his
intelligence, capacity of leadership etc attract attention as being incongruent with his caste
status, people try to explain it by alluding to the history of his mother's extramarital relations
with some powerful high caste man. In a case where the man is known to have been carrying
out extra marital affairs, his wife's failure to conceive is likely to be defended by her relatives
by saying that "while sowing seeds in the streets you cannot expect to get a crop in your
own field".

The author cites examples that as in the rest of patrilineal India, in Andhra Pradesh too the
children belong rightfully to the father and in situations of conflict, the language of seed and
field is used to assert the paternal right. In the event of a divorce, the father would claim his
sons by saying that they are plants grown out of his body particles. Thus, Patriline and
bloodline appear to be synonymous in people's conception.

In Biological terms, the basis of unilineal group membership is common blood and the idea
of patrikin sharing common blood is effectively conveyed through the idea of the male seed
being formed out of blood and thus performing the crucial role of contributing the life giving
blood to the offspring. One may contrast the situation in patrilineal communities with a few
illustrations of what obtains in matrilineal communities. It is believed that a child gets its life
and blood from the mother and its structure and form from the father. He is necessary for
procreation bur his role in it is extremely limited.

Semen is commonly considered concentrated blood and there is a clear notion of a common
bloodline for agnatic kin continuing through male members who serve as links for the passing
of the common blood, through their semen, to the next generation. In contrast, ideas about the
mother's contribution in terms of specific substances and elements are generally hazy and
would hardly stand a systematic scrutiny. The menstrual blood provides a protective sac, soil
to grow in, nourishment, stuff out of which the limbs and organs of the foetus are shaped and
so on. That the foetus derives its sustenance from the mother is an obvious fact ad the child's
physical closeness to and dependence on the mother during prenatal and post natal phases is
not only recognised but played up. Breast milk is considered to be derived from blood. When
it comes to the use of blood as a substance that imparts identity to the child and determines its
group placement, however, it is firmly believed that the child gets it blood from the father and
shares it with its agnatic kin.

The author adds how in various contexts, the significant role of the mother in the creation and
upbringing of a child is consistently acknowledged:

1. The principle underlying caste endogamy posits that a child's status is derived from
both parents.

2. In analyzing physical traits and temperamental characteristics of the child, the mother
holds equal importance alongside the father.

3. Ayurvedic texts mention the contributions of both parents, although these details tend
to remain confined to scholars and practitioners. Hereditary factors play a crucial role
in understanding human growth, maintaining health, and treating illnesses.

4. Common knowledge among the populace reflects the importance of maternal

connections in determining physical appearances and traits among children. It is
widely accepted that a mother's conduct influences the unborn child's well-being,
necessitating precautions during pregnancy to ensure the fetus's smooth growth and
delivery.

5. Breastfeeding further strengthens the physiological bond between mother and child,
with beliefs that the mother's traits are transmitted during this period.

Furthermore, Ethnographic and literary evidence suggests the prevalence of an ideology

wherein land is predominantly considered male property. Even in instances where daughters
receive land as part of marriage customs, it is often perceived as a gift rather than an
entitlement. In certain tribal societies with patrilineal lineage systems, men gain cultivation
rights through their membership in the patrilineal clan, reflecting collective control over
specific land areas.
As wives, women have rights of use in the land of the husband's patrilineage and as
daughters, they may have the right to maintenance in their natal lineage in the event of
divorce or widowhood. A woman is likened to the earth and this is often expressed as an
idealised role. Like the earth, a woman too has to bear pain. The earth is ploughed, furrowed,
dug into, a woman too is pierced and ploughed. A common metaphorical expression for
sexual intercourse is ploughing.

One of the most significant aspects of this symbolism is how the two partners are situated
in the process of reproduction. The man contains the seed in his body; woman, on the other
hand is herself the field. Besides the womb, other parts of her body is also involved in
procreation. The two partners are not at par with one another insofar as the process of
reproduction is concerned.

By equating the woman's body with the field or the earth and the semen with the seed, the
process of reproduction is equated with the process of production and rights over children
with rights over the crop. Such a conception of rights get reflected in and provides
justification for many of the patterns of behaviour and belief and for the institutionalisation of
relations. Separation, divorce and remarriages are not uncommon among the upper caste. But
in normal times, when a woman leaves her husband, she has to leave her children as well.

Therefore, The ideology of seed and earth explicates the logic of putting restraints on
women's sexuality and the maintenance of constrains over them. It follows, therefore that she
needs to be protected and controlled. A man's rights over the woman do not relate only to her
sexuality and reproductive capacity but encompass her productive capacities and labour
power also. Theoretically, a woman has no right over her earnings for she lives in her man's
house and eats his produce even though she also earns. This logic is applicable even where
the woman is earning through wage labour.

In conclusion, the symbolic representation of human reproduction through the imagery of

seed and earth perpetuates a system where women are marginalized from productive
resources, lack control over their labor, and are deprived of rights over their offspring. This
reduction of women to mere vehicles for perpetuating the group diminishes their role in
society. The failure to recognize women's contributions is closely linked to this ideological
framework.