A wedding in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district has drawn nationwide attention after a bride tied the knot with two brothers in a rare continuation of an ancient tribal tradition. The three-day ceremony, held in mid-July in the Shillai area, was celebrated openly with music, dance, and community participation, making it one of the most public displays of polyandry in recent years.
The bride, Sunita Chauhan, who has technical training in her field, chose to marry brothers Pradeep and Kapil Negi. All three emphasized that the decision was mutual and taken without any pressure. The brothers described the arrangement as a symbol of unity and stability, while Sunita said she valued transparency and respect in their partnership.
Supporters of the tradition often point to parallels in Hindu mythology, most notably the story of Draupadi and the Pandavas in the Mahabharata. While Indian marriage laws do not generally recognize polyandry, local tribal customs have long been upheld in Himachal Pradesh, and the Hatti community—granted Scheduled Tribe status in recent years—continues to observe its unique cultural practices under customary law.
Unlike in the past, when such marriages were conducted quietly, this wedding was celebrated openly and drew widespread media coverage after images of the ceremony went viral. Elders of the community hailed the event as a reaffirmation of identity, while the couple admitted they were surprised by the scale of national attention it received.
Polyandry within the Hatti tribe, once common in the hill regions, is increasingly rare as education, migration, and modern lifestyles reshape local society. Yet for families like the Chauhans and the Negis, the practice remains both a cultural expression and a practical arrangement for maintaining family and property ties.
