Jodidara is a traditional form of polyandrous marriage practised among the Hatti tribe in Himachal Pradesh, where a woman marries two or more brothers.
Two brothers from Himachal Pradesh’s Hatti tribe married the same woman in a rare polyandrous ceremony, locally known as Jodidara. Held in Shillai village of Sirmaur district, the three-day celebration began on July 12 and drew hundreds of villagers.
Like any conventional wedding, the event was marked by vibrant folk music, dance, and community festivities.
Polyandry—where a woman marries multiple men, usually brothers—was once widespread among the Hattis, especially in the Sirmaur district. Though now rare, the Jodidara practice continues to be recognised under Himachal Pradesh’s revenue laws.
The Hatti community, which was declared a Scheduled Tribe three years ago, lives in the Trans-Giri region along the Himachal Pradesh–Uttarakhand border.
In the last six years, five such polyandrous marriages have taken place in Badhana village alone, officials said. The community’s apex body, the Kendriya Hatti Samiti, says the tradition was born out of necessity thousands of years ago, as reported by news agency PTI.
Hatti bride and grooms who performed rare ceremony
Bride Sunita Chauhan and grooms Pradeep and Kapil Negi said the decision was mutual without coercion. “We followed the tradition publicly as we are proud of it, and it was a joint decision,” said Pradeep, who works in a government department.
The second brother, Kapil, who is employed abroad, added, “We’re ensuring support, stability and love for our wife as a united family. We’ve always believed in transparency.”
Sunita, originally from Kunhat village, said she respected the custom. “I was aware of the tradition and made my decision without any pressure,” she said.
Videos of the ceremony have gone viral, triggering fresh curiosity about the historic practice.
What is Jodidara, and why is it practised?
Jodidara is a traditional form of polyandrous marriage practised among the Hatti tribe in Himachal Pradesh, where a woman marries two or more brothers.
According to Kundan Singh Shastri, general secretary of the Kendriya Hatti Samiti, the polyandry system helped prevent the division of ancestral land among multiple heirs. “This tradition was invented thousands of years ago to save a family’s agricultural land from further division,” PTI quoted him as saying.
Other reasons include fostering unity among brothers, preserving joint family systems, and ensuring a secure and stable environment in remote, hilly terrains.
“If you have a bigger family, more men, you are more secure in a tribal society,” Shastri explained. He added that the tradition also helped manage scattered agricultural lands, which required collective, long-term attention.
Despite modern shifts—rising literacy, changing socio-economic conditions, and evolving gender roles—some communities in the region still discreetly solemnise such marriages.
A unique ritual known as ‘Jajda’
In the unique polyandrous tradition, the wedding is called Jajda, which begins with the bride arriving in a procession to the groom’s village. A ritual known as Seenj is performed at the groom’s home, where a priest chants mantras in the local dialect and sprinkles holy water.
The ceremony ends with the couple being offered jaggery, with blessings from the Kul Devta for a sweet and harmonious life ahead.
