Polyandry: What is it? Talk about the Todas’ marriages and familial ties in India.
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Polyandry: What is it? Talk about the Todas’ marriages and familial ties in India.
Polyandry is a form of marriage in which a woman has multiple husbands simultaneously. While less common than polygyny (a man having multiple wives), polyandry has been observed in various societies around the world. One notable example is found among the Todas, a pastoral community in the Nilgiri Hills of Southern India.
The Toda society practices a unique form of polyandry known as fraternal polyandry. In this system, brothers within the same family share a common wife. The Toda people traditionally live in small settlements called munds, and a mund typically consists of a polyandrous family unit.
Family Structure and Kinship:
Toda families are often composed of one woman married to multiple brothers. This arrangement strengthens fraternal bonds and ensures joint responsibility for the family's economic activities, including herding and agriculture. The brothers collectively share the duties of husband and father. Children born within the polyandrous union are considered the offspring of all the brothers, reinforcing a sense of communal fatherhood.
Marriage Practices:
Marriage among the Todas involves a series of rituals and ceremonies. The selection of a spouse is often influenced by considerations of social compatibility and the specific needs of the family unit. The marriage ceremony includes the exchange of ritual objects, symbolic gestures, and the performance of sacred rituals.
The Toda society places significant importance on maintaining purity and observing specific rituals associated with their religious beliefs. The sacredness of their landscapes, particularly their sacred dairy structures known as "dairies," plays a central role in Toda religious practices.
Despite the historical prevalence of polyandry among the Todas, it is essential to note that cultural practices can change over time, influenced by external factors such as modernization, globalization, and shifts in societal norms. The Toda community, like many others, has experienced transformations, and contemporary practices may differ from historical ones. Studying unique marriage systems, such as the polyandry observed among the Todas, provides valuable insights into the diverse ways in which human societies organize family structures and kinship systems.