WHAT IS ‘JODIDARA- UNDER WHICH POLYANDRY IS VALID

23-JULY-ENG 1

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

DELHI-----------------------Two brothers of the Hatti tribe of Himachal Pradesh married the same woman in a public ceremony held in Shillai village of Sirmaur district. This marriage was done under the traditional practice of polyandry still prevalent in some parts of the Trans-Giri region.

In this regard, Pradeep and Kapil Negi said that the decision to marry Sunita Chauhan was taken with mutual consent and without any external pressure. Pradeep said, "We followed this tradition publicly, because we are proud of it, and it was a joint decision."

Kapil, who works abroad, said, "We are ensuring support, stability and love for my wife as a joint family. We have always believed in transparency." Hundreds of people attended the three-day wedding ceremony that began on July 12.

Local folk songs and dance performances were also performed during the wedding. Videos of the ceremony have gone viral on social media. Sunita, a resident of Kunhat village, said she was aware of the tradition and married of her own free will. She said she respected the bond formed between them.

Himachal Pradesh's revenue laws recognise such marriages under the term 'jodidara'. At least five such polyandrous marriages have been reported in the last six years in Badhana village in the same region, news agency PTI reported.

The Hatti community, which was given Scheduled Tribe status in 2022, lives mainly on the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand border. Polyandry has historically existed in the region. However, its prevalence has decreased in the last few years due to increasing literacy, social change and economic development.

According to PTI, village elders say such marriages still take place quietly and are socially acceptable in some sections of the community. It is estimated that about three lakh members of the Hatti community live in about 450 villages in the trans-Giri region.

Similar traditions were once seen in neighbouring tribal areas like Jaunsar Bawar in Uttarakhand and Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh. Kundan Singh Shastri, general secretary of the Kendriya Hatti Samiti, told PTI that the practice has evolved over thousands of years in response to the socio-economic conditions of the remote hilly areas.

He said polyandry helps maintain unity in joint families, even among half-brothers, and is also seen as a means of ensuring collective security. "If you have a large family, more men, you are more secure in tribal society," Shastri said.

He added that such arrangements are also practical for managing sprawling agricultural lands, which require long-term care and labour from family members.