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Home / IAS Preparation / Polyandry Marriages

Polyandry Marriages: Overview, Types, Examples, Situation in India & More

Last Updated on Jan 22, 2024
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Polyandry involves a woman being married to two or more men simultaneously, with the term originating from the Greek words polys, meaning "many," and anēr/Andros, meaning "man." When the husbands in a polyandrous marriage are brothers, it is termed adelphic or fraternal polyandry. Polygyny, on the other hand, is the marriage of a man to two or more women simultaneously and can include a sororal form. In polyandrous cultures, various methods are employed to determine the ancestry of children born in such marriages. In fraternal polyandry, children may be considered descendants of the eldest brother alone, or fatherhood may be established through ceremonies, with some cultures claiming descent from all husbands equally.

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.

What is Polyandry?

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.

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Types of Polyandry

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 often found in mountainous regions with scarce land resources. In such places, polyandry allows families to retain land that would otherwise be divided among heirs. The brothers also cooperate and provide mutual support to each other.

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.
  • Non-fraternal polyandry was commonly found among herders and nomadic groups. During seasonal migrations, women would take on additional husbands to ensure protection and provisioning for themselves and their children. The husbands were often compensated in some way for their role.

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 live in the mountainous regions of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Cultivable land is scarce in the Himalayan terrain, making it a precious asset that families seek to retain within their lineage. Polyandrous marriages allow brothers to jointly inherit and manage the family land and livestock. By sharing a wife, the brothers can sustain the family property intact across generations.
  • 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.
  • However, conflict and jealousy do arise at times among the co-husbands. The wife also has to negotiate relationships with multiple husbands and balance their needs. Effective communication skills are crucial for success within such marriages.
  • Still, polyandry persists among the Pahari as a means of conserving scarce land and livestock wealth. The system ensures family security and continuity in an ecologically fragile region. The examples of the Gaddis and Gujjars provide a glimpse into the inner workings and challenges of actual polyandrous marriages in the modern world.
  • In summary, the Pahari people of northern India, especially the Gaddi and Gujjar communities, offer a clear example of how fraternal polyandry functions as a strategy for conserving scarce resources and sustaining family continuity. Despite potential issues, polyandrous marriages allow the Pahari to optimally utilize their limited land and optimize family labour for maximum benefit.

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Polyandry Marriage

A polyandrous 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 polyandrous 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.
  • Jealousy and conflict are potential issues in polyandrous marriages. The co-husbands may compete for the wife's attention, affection and resources. The wife also has to negotiate relationships with multiple husbands, balancing their needs and demands. Effective communication is important to resolve issues that arise.
  • Polyandrous marriages are found where ecological pressures or social conditions make them necessary or beneficial. In mountain regions with little arable land, polyandry allows a family to retain property that would otherwise be divided. Polyandry also ensures family security when external hazards threaten the population of able-bodied men.
  • However, polyandrous 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.

Read here Exploring Different Types of Family Structures and Dynamics!

Conclusion

In summary, a polyandrous marriage involves one wife with two or more husbands. Such unions have existed where ecological pressures and the need for family security made them useful. While allowing optimal use of resources, polyandrous marriages also face potential challenges due to jealousy, conflict and inequality between co-husbands. Effective communication skills are crucial for success within such marriages.

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Polyandry FAQs

Polyandry refers to a marriage system in which one woman has two or more husbands at the same time.

The main types of polyandry are fraternal (brother husbands), non-fraternal (unrelated husbands) and serial (marrying multiple husbands over a woman's lifetime).

Polyandry exists to conserve scarce resources, ensure family security and provide economic support for women in some societies.

Polyandry is illegal and socially disapproved in most countries. It is considered against the norms of monogamous marriages.

Potential issues in polyandrous marriages include jealousy between co-husbands, imbalance of power between wives and husbands, and difficulties in communication and decision-making within the family.
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