'The Sole Purpose Is...': Himachal Brothers Break Silence Over Marrying Same Woman Under 'Jodidar Pratha'
Weeks after a two brothers from Himachal Pradesh married the same woman, the duo has defended their decision and broken silence on the matter, stressing that the public criticism on social media does not affect them and that they take pride in the centuries-old tradition of their Hatti tribe.
The two brothers- Pradeep and Kapil Negi, from Himachal's Shillai village, married Sunita Chauhan from Kunhat village under the state's traditional polyandrous custom, 'Jodidar Pratha.' The brothers said the tradition has been going on for generations and clarified the tradition was not imposed upon them.
"This Jodidar Pratha has been going on for generations. It is not that we married under the tradition for the first time. It has been practised in the past and continues to be practised at present," Pradeep Negi said in a video, posted on Facebook.
His brother, Kapil Negi, stated that the three married with their consent and it was their mutual decision. He clarified that it was completely voluntary as compared to forced marriages in other places.
"In other states, there are traditions that are imposed on the people. But we don't have any such tradition. We are not forced to follow the tradition. We got married with our consent. It was our mutual decision," Kapil said.
The brothers also said that their families were completely in favour of the marriage, adding that the practice is not only restricted to Himachal, but is also practised in the Jaunsar-Bawar area of Uttarakhand.
"I will keep advocating for our traditions and culture. Individuals unfamiliar with our customs are also attempting to express their opinions. All of us agreed to this marriage, and our family and society are pleased," Pradeep continued.
The rare marriage which began on July 12, drew hundreds of villagers in the Sirmaur district, and eventually became a topic of widespread discussion on social media, leaving people surprised.
Despite polyandry being rare in Himachal Pradesh, the Jodidara practice is still recognised under the state's revenue laws.
While speaking on the rare tradition, Pradeep Negi said that they hailed from a low-income family with little property, and do not have any ambition for stardom.
"We didn't had any intention of making the (Facebook) page. We didn't married with the intention of getting famous. The news went across India. We married in a normal way," Kapil said.
"The sole purpose of this marriage is to remain together and continue to love each other. We ask people not to criticise us because we have our own lives and we are content with them," Pradeep added.
The duo also spoke about receiving abusive reactions to their photos and videos on social media, adding "we are happy with our lives."
"Many people are abusing us on our photos and videos on social media. I want to tell them that, don't think that you are abusing me. We are happy with our lives. We are promoting our tradition and culture," Pradeep added.
The 'Jodidara Pratha' has been followed for generations to prevent ancestral land from being divided, which is a major issue for highland farming communities.
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