One bride, two grooms: Himachal Pradesh’s unique wedding raises many questions, know all about this custom
New Delhi: Two brothers of the Hatti tribe got married to a woman in Himachal Pradesh’s Shillai village. This marriage was not hidden from anyone, but took place with great pomp and show, with rituals and ceremonies lasting for three days. Bride Sunita Chauhan and grooms Pradeep and Kapil Negi said that they took this decision without any pressure. All three have claimed that they have followed an old tradition. Let us know about this custom of polyandry of marriage in the Hatti community and why did the girl marry two brothers at once?
What is this unique tradition?
This three-day wedding ceremony began on July 12 in the Trans-Giri area of Sirmaur district. The Revenue Law of Himachal Pradesh recognizes this tradition. Five such marriages have taken place in the last 6 years in Badhana village of Trans-Giri. This marriage has taken place under an old tradition of the Hatti community, Ujala Paksha i.e. Jodidara. In this, a woman marries two or more brothers.
What do the three say about this marriage?
Sunita, a resident of Kunhat village, said that she was aware of this tradition and took this decision without any pressure. She also said that she respects the bond formed between them. Pradeep of Shilai village works in a government department, while his younger brother Kapil works abroad. Pradeep said that we followed this tradition publicly because we are proud of it. Kapil said that even though he lives abroad, through this marriage we are ensuring support, stability and love for his wife as a joint family. He further said that we have always believed in transparency.
What is Jodidara?
Hatti is a close-knit community located on the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand border and was declared a Scheduled Tribe three years ago. Polyandry was prevalent in this tribe for centuries. Jodidara, or polyandry, is the practice of a woman marrying more than one man. This practice is known as Jodidara or Ujala Paksha. Mostly real brothers are involved in this. Some reports say that this practice dates back to the Mahabharata period.
What is the reason to marry real brothers?
The village elders said that such marriages were done secretly and were also accepted by the society. However, such cases are less. According to experts, one of the most important reasons behind this tradition was that the ancestral land should not be divided, while the share of tribal women in ancestral property is still a major issue. About three lakh people of the Hatti community live in about 450 villages in the Trans-Giri region of Sirmaur district and polyandry is still prevalent in some villages.
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