How Himachal's ‘1 Bride, 2 Grooms' Tradition Works: Wife Decides — Same Room Or ‘Shoe Sign' At Door
In parts of Himachal Pradesh, there exists a tradition that has its roots in the Mahabharata. If you couldn't guess it, we are talking about Jodidara, aka an ancient custom of polyandry where a woman willfully gets married to two men. Recently, two brothers from Shillai village of Sirmaur district, Himachal Pradesh, got married to the same woman in accordance with rituals followed by the Hatti tribe. The incident has now grabbed the spotlight, with debates emerging around the concept of polyandrous weddings.
On July 12, the bride, Sunita Chauhan, married brothers Pradeep and Kapil Negi, as a joint decision without any external pressure. The three-day event, which wrapped up on July 14, was celebrated with several 'Jajda" customs. As per a report by The Times of India, a priest performed 'Seenj", chanted mantras, sprinkled holy water and offered jaggery to invoke blessings from the Kul Devta (family deity).
Return of Polyandry in Himachal?
हिमाचल के सिरमौर में अनोखी शादी सुर्खियों में! दो भाइयों ने एक ही दुल्हन से की शादी, गांव वालों ने पूरी स्वीकृति दी। परंपरा या बहस?
How Jodidara Works
The practice of Jodidara is acknowledged in Himachal Pradesh's revenue laws. It is also linked to Sections 494 and 495 of the Indian Penal Code as a part of marital relationships.
According to a PhD thesis titled Polyandry in the Himalayas: Social-economic background of Himalayan Polyandry, published by former chief minister YS Parmer, the wife has complete autonomy in deciding how time is distributed among her husbands.
YS Parmer further explained that sometimes a shoe or a cap is placed outside the room to indicate that the wife is with one particular husband. 'In most cases, the wife sleeps with all her husbands in the same room… she decides, according to her own wish, which husband to be with that night. However, she performs her duties with each brother in turn. Typically, equal time is given to all husbands. Complaints rarely arise," wrote Parmer, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
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Why Polyandry Exists In Himachal Pradesh
Polyandry persists in Himachal Pradesh even in modern times due to social, cultural and economic factors. Some of them are land preservation, family unity and security, cultural identity and community acceptance.
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