Abducting girls for marriage on the occasion of August 15 celebrations in tribal Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal was once a tradition which more or less was influenced by the poverty. There are hundreds of tribals who liked girls at first sight on August 15 festivity, abducted them and made ‘Kuji Vivah’ (abducted marriage) with them. Three day-long state level August 15 festivity, which is known as tribal fair, is the largest festivity of Lahaul-Spiti. The whole district gathers at Keylong to celebrate the day. For years, this is the best chance for young hearts from far flung areas to meet and sometime take quick decision of eloping in their first meeting. The tribal fair begun after the Independence of India and so started the tradition of eloping with girl. Girl’s consent was not necessary for this custom but sometime if she or her family resists the marriage, she was brought back home. But in most of the cases, marriage was approved. Now very few such cases happen during the occasion since last five years. “I touched my girl first and then my friends helped us elope. Those days were really of our independence,” resident of Yangrang village Padam Singh said who had abducted his dream girl from the August 15 festivity and now they are happy family with two daughters. He said, “I was following her all the day. As per the tradition, I had to touch her first. I did so and my three friends helped me abduct her in the evening. Later somehow we managed to convince the girl’s family.” Sher Singh Bodh, resident of Keylong believes that poverty was the main reason of this kind of marriages among tribals as people were saving marriage expenses but money being crisis no more, marriages are celebrated with pomp. “Parents
Abducting girls for marriage on the occasion of August 15 celebrations in tribal Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal was once a tradition which more or less was influenced by the poverty. There are hundreds of tribals who liked girls at first sight on August 15 festivity, abducted them and made ‘Kuji Vivah’ (abducted marriage) with them.
