Polyandry Marriages: Overview, Types, Examples, Situation in India-UPSC Notes

Polyandry is a type of marriage whereby only a woman marries several men. It is hard to find in most regions of the globe. It still has somewhere in the distant lands. This system has been present in various societies due to both culture and economy reasons. It is mistakenly considered to be polygamy which is not the case. Primarily polyandry occurs in the country, where it is usually used as way of retaining familial land. Polyandry in India is a rare marital practice found mainly in tribal and Himalayan regions like Himachal Pradesh and parts of Uttarakhand.

This article is going to give an exposition of the understanding of polyandry, its types, its legality and its effects on the society. We shall also learn about polyandry in India particularly by tribal society such as the Hattis and so on. Polyandry is an important topic for UPSC Prelims and GS Paper 2 of the UPSC Mains syllabus. Read about Polyandry in this article for UPSC CSE Exam. Join the UPSC coaching at Testbook today.

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Polyandry is a social system in which a woman has two or more husbands at the same time. In this system, brothers in a family may share the same wife. The word 'polyandry' comes from the Greek roots poly, meaning 'many', and anēr meaning 'man'. It refers to marriages involving one woman and multiple men. In some cases of fraternal polyandry, brothers share the same wife with the consent of all involved. The children born to the wife are considered the children of all husbands. This section explains polyandry meaning in simple terms. It introduces the social and legal aspects of the system.

Sociology Polyandry Definition

In sociology, polyandry implies a state in which a woman has more than one husband. It is the contrary of polygyny. It is followed in some few tribal and hilly regions. Historians analyze this type of marriage to get acquainted with culture, gender, and land rights.

What Does Polyandry Marriage Mean

Polyandry marriage is a mating whereby a wife in a socially or legally formal marriage is wedded to two or several men. Frequently the men are brothers. This is referred to as polyandry. These marriages are not so common in the modern world. However, there are still communities that practice them economically and socially.

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Types of Polyandry

Polyandry exists in two distinct types; the fraternal polyandry, and non-fraternal polyandry. The fraternal polyandry is seen when a woman is married to several males of the same family. Land division is a common strategy used to avoid in the Himalayans regions. In the non-fraternal polyandry, husbands are not blood relations, and they tie marriage to a common woman. It is further divided into this kind, which is even less common and is prompted by the necessity of survival or by cultural traditions.

Fraternal Polyandry

• In fraternal polyandry, brothers share a wife and family. It is the most common form of polyandry found in societies where it is practised. Brothers marry a wife together, either sequentially or simultaneously. They view themselves as co-husbands of the same wife.
• The brothers usually inherit joint property from their parents that they manage together. Sharing a wife allows them to keep the family property intact rather than dividing it among heirs. The children born to the wife are seen as the offspring of all the brother-husbands.
• Fraternal polyandry is common in places which are mountainous and where land is a scarce resource. One of the ways the practice of polyandry adopts in these areas is the ability to keep land away without being shared among heirs. The brothers are also in associations with each other and support one another.

Non-Fraternal Polyandry

• In non-fraternal polyandry, women marry two or more husbands who are not brothers. The husbands may be friends, relatives or even strangers. Such polyandrous unions were usually temporary, formed to fulfil a specific need.
• The herders and nomadic groups had non-fraternal polyandry, which was prevalent. Women would acquire an extra marital mate during seasonal migrations so that they could be protected and provided with their children. The husbands were usually rewarded in one way or the other in regard to the role they played.

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Serial Polyandry

• In serial polyandry, a woman marries multiple husbands at different stages of her life. She may marry two or more husbands one after the other, usually due to divorce, widowhood or other reasons.
• Serial polyandry was historically common, where life expectancy was low and female offspring were scarce. After the death of her first husband, a widow would remarry to ensure economic security and heirs for herself and her children from the first marriage.
• The second husband would support her children from the first marriage. His offspring would inherit his property, while she would care for all the children. Thus serial polyandry benefited both wives and husbands in such societies.
• In summary, fraternal polyandry involves brothers sharing a wife to manage family property. Non-fraternal polyandry consists of unrelated men temporarily marrying a woman. Serial polyandry describes a woman marrying multiple husbands at different stages of her life. Each type fulfilled specific economic and social needs in the societies where they were traditionally practised.

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Polyandry in India

Polyandry has been practised in some parts of India, mainly in the Himalayan regions of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir. The main types of polyandry found in India are fraternal and serial polyandry.

• Fraternal polyandry has been a traditional practice among some tribal and rural communities in the Himalayan region. It is most common among ethnic Pahari communities like the Gaddis and Gujjars. Brothers in these communities would jointly marry one wife, usually to preserve family property. Mountains offer little cultivable land, and polyandry allows families to retain land that would otherwise be divided among heirs.
• For the Gaddis and Gujjars, livestock is the main form of wealth and property. Polyandrous marriages enable brothers to jointly manage the herds and flocks, ensuring their continuity within the family. The co-husbands cooperate and help each other in household chores and childcare. They view themselves as co-sharers of rights and responsibilities regarding the wife and children.
• Serial polyandry has also been reported among some rural communities in Northern India, especially among widows. After the death of her first husband, a widow would remarry to ensure economic security and care for herself and her children from the first marriage. Her new husband would support the children from her first marriage along with his own offspring. Both the widow and the groom benefited from such unions.
• However, polyandry is declining in India with urbanization and changing social attitudes. The practice is now illegal and socially disapproved in most parts of the country. Development interventions and educational programmes aim to change community mindsets that see polyandry as necessary or acceptable.
• In summary, while polyandry has traditionally existed in some parts of India, especially Himalayan regions, the practice is now illegal and declining. Fraternal polyandry was common to preserve family wealth, like livestock and land. Serial polyandry allowed widows to remarry for economic security. However, social and legal disapproval is reducing polyandry in modern India.

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Examples of Polyandry

The Pahari people of northern India provide one of the clearest examples of polyandry in the modern world. Among the Pahari communities like the Gaddis and Gujjars, fraternal polyandry has long been practised as a means of ensuring family continuity and conserving scarce resources.

• The Pahari reside in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir where the geography is covered by mountains. There is limited cultivable land on the Himalayan landscape, which makes this asset more valuable and thus being desired by the family in order to hold on to it. In polyandry marriages, brothers equally inherit and run as a unit the family household including land and farm animals. The fact that both brothers have one wife to take care of will enable them keep the family property going.
• Livestock rearing, especially of goats and sheep, is the main economic activity of the Pahari. Brothers marry the same woman in order to jointly manage the family herds and flocks. This ensures the continuity of livestock wealth within the family. The co-husbands cooperate in household chores, childrearing and care of the livestock.
• In Pahari polyandrous marriages, the brothers consider themselves equal sharers of rights and responsibilities regarding the wife and children. Rank or hierarchy among the co-husbands is minimized. The brothers have an ‘equal sharing’ relationship with the wife and help each other as ‘friend-husbands’. They maintain emotional bonds and mutual affection.
• But sometimes, it is true that there are cases of conflict and jealousy among the co-husbands. The wife must also learn how to negotiate with several husbands and keep them satisfied with each other. Successful communication skills are essential to any such marriage.
• Nevertheless, the Pahari people continue to practice polyandry in the conservations of limited land and livestock resources. The family stability and safety provided by the system guarantees family resilience and safety in an ecologically threatening area. The examples of Gaddis and Gujjars can give a clue about the reality behind such polyandrous marriages and how the marriages have their challenges in the modern world.
• To conclude about the issue of fraternal polyandry as an adaptable action toward preservation of limited resources and maintenance of family line, the Pahari people of northern India particularly the Gaddi and Gujjar groups are a good example to demonstrate the mechanism. In spite of the existent problems, polyandrous matrimony enables the Pahari to use their restricted land best and family labour to the most significant advantage.

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Polyandry Marriage

A polyandry marriage is a union where one woman is lawfully married to two or more men at the same time. It is the opposite of polygyny, where one man has multiple wives. Polyandrous marriages have existed in some societies due to ecological, economic and social factors.

• In a polyandry marriage, two or more husbands marry the same wife. The husbands are usually brothers who jointly manage the household and share responsibilities for the wife and children. The children born to the wife are regarded as children of all husbands. The property is also jointly owned by the co-husbands.
• Relationships within polyandrous marriages vary. In some cases, the brothers have an equal relationship with the wife and children. They cooperate and aid each other as co-husbands. In other cases, one brother may be considered the primary or 'elder' husband with more rights over the wife. Hierarchies can develop among the co-husbands over time.
• Polyandry marriages may have jealousy and conflicts. The co-husbands will be fighting over the wife regarding who will take reigns of the wife to win her over in terms of attention, affection and resources. The wife here also has to bargain on relationships with several husbands, having to balance between their needs and demands. Best communication is necessary to solve arising problems.
• Polyandry marriages exist when ecological amount of pressure or social conditions require or are takes advantage of the benefits of the marriages. In regions of mountains where there is less arable land, polyandry enables a family to have property to be shared since it is likely to be divided among the sons. Family security in the instance of external threats to the population of able-bodied men also happens due to polyandry.
• However, polyandry marriages go against prevailing cultural norms in many societies. They are now illegal in most countries and socially disapproved. Monogamous marriages are seen as more equitable and stable family structures.

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Conclusion

Polyandry is an unusual marriage. It still exists in some rural and indigenous communities. It helps families survive in rough areas. It is endemic mainly to the Himalayas and the Tibet. Fraternal polyandry is the most prevalence. This is very helpful for saving land and to keep joint family system. Polyandry in India is now uncommon, but still practiced in places such as Himachal Pradesh, and among Hatti. Although legally polyandry marriage is not practiced in India but in some regions traditions are followed. Learing what is polyandry helps us know more about the social custom, law and gender issues. Upasampent aspirants should know its history law and how it effects in society.

After reading this article, we hope all your doubts about the Polyandry have been addressed. The textbook provides comprehensive notes on civil services and various other competitive examinations. It has always ensured the quality of its products, such as content pages, live test,K and current affairs, mocks, and so on. Ace your UPSC preparation with the Testbook. Download the Testbook App now!