By Prosper Mene
In Himachal Pradesh, two brothers, Pradeep and Kapil Negi, married the same woman, Sunita Chauhan, in a three-day ceremony that has revived an ancient tribal tradition and caused widespread debate.
The wedding, which took place on July 12, 2025, in Shillai village of Sirmaur district, was a public celebration of the Hatti tribe’s polyandrous custom known as “Jodidara,” drawing hundreds of villagers who participated with folk songs, dances, and sacred rituals.
The Jodidara tradition, also referred to as Draupadi Pratha due to its resemblance to the Mahabharata epic where Princess Draupadi married five brothers, allows brothers to share a wife to preserve ancestral land and maintain family unity. Under this custom, the wife alternates between brothers on a mutually agreed schedule, and children are raised collectively, with the eldest brother recognized as the legal father. “We followed the tradition publicly as we are proud of it, and it was a joint decision,” Pradeep Negi told the Press Trust of India. Sunita Chauhan emphasized her consent, stating, “I was aware of this tradition and chose it willingly. I respect the bond we’ve formed.”
Though polyandry is illegal under India’s Hindu Marriage Act of 1955, the Himachal Pradesh High Court recognizes Jodidara under customary “Jodidar Law” for certain tribal communities, including the Hatti, who were granted Scheduled Tribe status in 2022.
The practice, historically has it’s root in preventing land grabbing and fostering familial bonds in resource-scarce Himalayan regions, remains socially accepted in places like Sirmaur, though it is declining due to rising literacy and socio-economic changes.
Local leaders, including lawmaker Harshwardhan Singh Chauhan, defended the custom, citing its deep cultural roots. “We have a customary law to protect polyandry,” he told reporters. Kundan Singh Shastri, a Hatti leader, linked it to economic necessity, explaining that it prevents land division and ensures security in tribal life.
However, the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) condemned the practice, with General Secretary Mariam Dhawale calling it “an act of women’s exploitation” that violates fundamental rights.
This rare public display of polyandry is one of only five such marriages in the region over the past six years.
