In a rare and culturally significant event, a woman in Himachal Pradesh, India, married two brothers in a traditional polyandrous ceremony known locally as Jodidara. The three-day wedding took place in Shillai village, in the Trans-Giri region of Sirmaur district, beginning on July 12, 2025.
The bride, Sunita Chauhan, tied the knot with Pradeep and Kapil Negi in a celebration filled with local folk songs, dances, and rituals. Hundreds attended the ceremony, which has since gone viral on social media, sparking widespread interest and debate.
The couple said the marriage was a mutual decision, free of pressure. “We followed the tradition proudly. It was our joint choice,” said Pradeep, a government worker. His younger brother Kapil, who works abroad, added, “Though we live apart, our marriage ensures support, love, and unity for our wife.”
Sunita, originally from Kunhat village, said she was fully aware of the tradition and entered the marriage willingly. “I respect the bond we’ve formed,” she said.
The wedding reflects a centuries-old custom of the Hatti tribe, a Scheduled Tribe residing in over 450 villages along the Himachal-Uttarakhand border. Though polyandry is now rare due to rising literacy and changing social norms, it remains legally recognized under Himachal Pradesh revenue laws.
In nearby Badhana village, five polyandrous marriages have been recorded in the past six years. Traditionally, the practice served several purposes: preserving undivided family land, fostering unity among brothers, and enhancing security in joint households.
Kundan Singh Shastri, General Secretary of the Kendriya Hatti Samiti, explained the roots of the custom: “Polyandry helped avoid land fragmentation, encouraged brotherhood—even among half-brothers—and made large families more secure in tough tribal environments.”
The ceremony included unique rituals such as Jajda, where the bride is welcomed in a village procession, and Seenj, where mantras are chanted, holy water is sprinkled, and jaggery is offered to invoke blessings for a harmonious marriage.
Although this age-old tradition is fading, it remains a respected cultural practice in certain pockets of the region, representing a blend of heritage, family values, and communal identity.
