Rapid Fire
Hatti Tribe
- 23 Jul 2025
- 2 min read
In Himachal Pradesh, two brothers from the Hatti tribe married one woman in a polyandrous marriage, a traditional practice still seen in some Himalayan tribal communities.
The Hatti Community:
- About: The Hatti are a close-knit tribal community residing along the Himachal Pradesh–Uttarakhand border.
- Their name comes from their traditional occupation of selling crops and meat at local haats (marketplaces).
- The Hattis have two main clans—Trans-Giri (in Himachal Pradesh) and Jaunsar Bawar (in Uttarakhand).
- They were granted Scheduled Tribe status in August 2023.
- Polyandry: Locally known as “Jodidara” or “Jajda”, is a traditional practice among the Hatti community where brothers marry the same woman.
- It originally aimed to prevent land fragmentation and maintain family unity.
- Though less common today, it continues to hold cultural significance within the community.
- Polyandry is illegal under Indian law, but the Himachal Pradesh revenue law has upheld the Hatti tribe's tradition of Jodidara, allowing them to continue the practice under customary tribal law.
- Polyandry is a type of polygamy in which a woman has multiple husbands simultaneously.
- Traditional Council: The Hatti community is governed by a local body called the Khumbli, which handles social issues and community decisions.
| Read more: Securing the Future for Indian Tribes |
