Man marries two girls in unique wedding ceremony in Madhya Pradesh

Correspondent

NewsBits.in

BHOPAL: A groom married two brides at the same time in a marriage function in Madhya Pradesh. 

Both the brides sat with him in the 'mandap' and the rituals were performed. 

Though this is not the first such instance of a groom marrying two girls at a time, it has drawn attention in the region. 

The groom Sandeep Kumar Uikey, who hails from Betul, was studying in Bhopal when he met a girl hailing from Hoshangabad. However, his family had already fixed Sandeep's marriage with another girl. This angered the other girl. The issue reached the elders in the community.

When a 'panchayat' was called, it was decided that if the girls were ready to share the bridegroom, they should be allowed to marry him. The girls agreed. After their consent, the wedding was held in Keria in Ghoda Dongri (Betul). Earlier, too there have been such instances.

A similar marriage took place in Jharkhand in the past. Sukhmati and Rita had married Rajesh. The groom Rajesh was about to marry Sukhmati but when she came to know that Rita too loved him, she said that Rajesh should marry her as well. In their community in the region, this was acceptable and hence the marriage took place.  

Besides, census reports too suggest the prevalance of polygamy. Though government officials can be sacked for polygamy, there is little action due to the absence of complaints. In a settlement in Lakhimpur Kheri, locals said that they had a tradition of most people practicing polygamy, with some of them having even three wives, according to a recent report.