INDIA’S TRIBES AND POLYGAMY: NAVIGATING TRADITION AND LAW

1. Polygyny – One man has multiple wives.
2. Polyandry – One woman has multiple husbands.

• Practiced in Sirmaur district.
• Known locally as Jodidara.
• Helps prevent land fragmentation and preserves family unity.

• Follows fraternal polyandry — brothers marry the same woman.
• Linked to Tibetan cultural influence and land economy.

• Historically practiced polyandry, now largely discontinued.
• Each child was attributed to the husband who performed a ritual (bow and arrow custom).

• Practiced in some areas where economic means allow.
• Polygyny helped with agricultural work and managing large families.

• Historically polygynous, linked to chieftainship, social prestige and clan power.

• Polygyny permitted under Muslim Personal Law, allowing up to four wives.
• Practiced more in rural and tribal belts.

• Hindu Marriage Act, 1955: Monogamy is mandatory for Hindus.
• Muslim Personal Law: Allows polygyny (up to four wives).
• Polyandry: No specific provision; not legally recognised but not criminalised either.
• Indian Penal Code, Sec 494: Penalises bigamy, but applies to men marrying multiple women, not polyandry.

• Not recognised under any codified personal law (Hindu, Muslim, Christian, etc.).
• Section 494 IPC (Bigamy) applies to polygamy but not polyandry (no specific law forbidding polyandry).
• Legally void marriages if not within legal framework; civil remedies may apply.

• Polyandry is rare globally.
• Permitted in some Tibetan communities, parts of Nepal and ancient Chinese and African tribes.
• Mostly outlawed or socially disfavoured in modern legal systems.

• In July 2025, two brothers from the Hatti tribe in Shillai village, Sirmaur district, married the same woman in a three‑day ceremony celebrating the tradition of Jodidara, a form of polyandry.
• This centuries‑old custom aims to preserve family unity, prevent land division and ensure economic stability; it continues to be practiced with mutual consent and cultural pride.
• According to Himachal Pradesh revenue laws and legal interpretations, this practice is recognised for the Hatti community under local Jodidar Law and upheld by the High Court.

• In May 2025, nearly 50 families of Jenu Kurubas returned to their ancestral home inside Nagarhole Tiger Reserve after four decades outside protected forests.
• Shortly after, authorities raided the village, dismantling shelters — highlighting ongoing conflicts under the Forest Rights Act and the rights of Indigenous communities inside protected areas.

• The Gavari folk tradition — central to Bhil tribal culture — is under threat as youth migrate and school attendance policies prevent participation in this nomadic theatrical pilgrimage lasting a month.
• Still, local groups are pursuing recognition from UNESCO and promoting Gavari through digital media and eco-festivals to revive and preserve this intangible heritage.

• The Kuki-Zo Council, composed of multiple tribal representatives, was formally constituted in late 2024 and engaged with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in early 2025 to seek separate administration and peace amid ongoing conflict with the Meitei community.

• The All Arunachal Tribal Students Union (AATSU) voiced opposition to granting Permanent Resident Certificates (PRCs) to the Moran community — migrants from Assam — highlighting fears over demographic pressure and cultural dilution in Arunachal Pradesh.

• In Kandhamal district, Odisha, tribal farmers are seeing a significant rise in income (15 quintals/acre in 2025 vs 2 tonnes in 2023) from dragon fruit cultivation, supported through ITDA and central schemes to promote sustainable livelihoods and reduce cannabis farming.

UPSC-STYLE INTERPRETATION POINTS

• Hatti (Himachal Pradesh) – illustrates a living cultural tradition adapting yet clashing with modern legal norms.
• Jenu Kurubas – highlights the friction between tribal rights and wildlife conservation when ancestral lands fall within protected zones.
• Gavari (Bhil) – underscores the urgency of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage threatened by modern disruptions.
• Kuki-Zo & Moran issues – reflect complex inter-tribal identity politics, representation and territorial integrity.
• Odisha tribal agriculture – represents trends in tribal empowerment through development, crop diversification and convergence of schemes.

UPSC MAINS STYLE QUESTIONS

1. Who are the Hattee tribe and where are they located?
2. What is polyandry? Name two communities in India where it was traditionally practiced.
3. Is polyandry legally recognised in India?
4. What is Jodidara and how does it relate to the Hatti tribe of Himachal Pradesh?

1. Discuss the socio-economic factors that led to the practice of polyandry in Himalayan tribal communities.
2. Highlight the recent developments related to tribal recognition in Himachal Pradesh.
3. Examine the legal and socio-cultural aspects of polyandry among the Hatti tribe and its recognition under Himachal Pradesh law.

1. “Cultural diversity in India is reflected through tribal practices, but these often conflict with modern legal frameworks.” Examine with examples.
2. Discuss the ethical and legal challenges posed by customary tribal practices like polyandry in contemporary Indian society.