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Sunita Chauhan married brothers Pradeep and Kapil Negi in a polyandrous wedding in Himachal Pradesh, sparking debates on the ancient custom of Jodidara.
Jodidara allows the wife to decide how time is distributed among her husbands. (Photo Credit: X)
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.
The Jodidara Wedding That Grabbed Spotlight
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?
Unique wedding in Sirmaur, Himachal, in the headlines! Two brothers married the same bride, the villagers gave full approval. Tradition or debate?
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.
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.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
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Delhi, India, India
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(Tagstotranslate) Jodidara
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