Two Brothers Marry the Same Woman in Himachal Pradesh – What Does Indian Law Say?
Kinnaur – Himachal Pradesh, 22 July – (www.deccanlive.com): This story might sound strange to many people, but for the Hatti tribe of Himachal Pradesh, this is a tradition that has existed for many years. In the Trans-Giri area of the state, it’s not uncommon for two brothers to marry the same woman. This practice is called polyandry – a type of marriage where one woman has more than one husband.
What is this tradition?
This system is known as fraternal polyandry, where a woman becomes the wife of two or more brothers in the same family. It is similar to the story of Draupadi and the Pandavas from the Indian epic Mahabharata. This custom also exists in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh.
What does the law say?
Under normal Indian laws, polyandry is not legally recognized. That means, a woman cannot be legally married to more than one man. But in tribal societies, old customs and traditions are respected and followed. These marriages may not be legally registered, but they are accepted and respected within the local communities.
In fact, Himachal Pradesh revenue laws recognize this practice. The Hatti tribe was declared a Scheduled Tribe in 2023, and they are still allowed to follow their old customs as long as there is no force or pressure on anyone involved.
The Hatti tribe follows Hindu marriage laws for legal and official matters. Indian law also protects the traditional customs of tribal communities. This is why there is no major legal objection to such marriages, especially when everyone agrees.
The recent wedding case
A woman named Sunita Chauhan, from Kunhat village, recently got married to two brothers, Pradeep and Kapil Negi, who are from Shillai. The wedding was held with full agreement from all families and was celebrated in front of thousands of people from the local community.
This shows the wisdom of tribal society, which created such customs for practical reasons – like protecting family land from being divided and keeping family unity strong. In the past, this system helped control population growth and ensured that resources were shared among family members.
Although this tradition is slowly disappearing, it still exists in some villages of Himachal Pradesh.
What is Polyandry?
Polyandry is a marriage system where one woman marries multiple men, usually brothers. This is seen in some tribal and hilly areas of India, Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, and China. The reasons behind this practice are often social, economic, or cultural.
