In a rare revival of the traditional Jodidara practice, two brothers from Himachal Pradesh’s Hatti tribe married the same woman in a polyandrous wedding ceremony held in Shillai village, Sirmaur district, from July 12. The three-day celebration was filled with vibrant local customs, folk music, and dancing, drawing hundreds of villagers.
The bride, Sunita Chauhan, wed brothers Pradeep and Kapil Negi, in a consensual, culturally significant union. Pradeep, a government employee, and Kapil, who works abroad, emphasized their mutual decision and intention to provide a stable and loving household. Sunita, originally from Kunhat village, echoed their sentiments, saying she willingly embraced the custom.
The Jodidara system—where a woman marries two or more brothers—was once widely practised among the Hattis to prevent the division of ancestral land and to preserve joint family systems in remote hilly areas. Though now rare, the tradition still holds legal recognition under Himachal Pradesh revenue laws.
Known locally as Jajda, the wedding involved traditional rituals like Seenj, where a priest chants mantras and sprinkles holy water, ending with offerings to the family deity for marital harmony.
The Hatti community, now recognized as a Scheduled Tribe, continues to discreetly honour such customs even amid modern shifts in values and lifestyle. This marks the fifth such wedding in Badhana village over the past six years