In a bid to ward off evil spirits, an Indian girl from a remote village in Jharkhand State recently got married to a dog. The ceremony was a traditional one, and the bride – 18-year-old Mangli Munda – was dressed in lovely wedding attire. But everyone at the wedding had eyes only for the groom – a stray canine named Sheru.
Sheru was brought to the wedding venue in style; he was escorted in a chauffeur driven car and greeted by well-wishers upon his arrival. The dog was chosen by Mangli’s father, Sri Amnmunda, who was quite happy about the whole event. “The village elders told us that we should organize the wedding as soon as we can,” he said. “We had to make sure that the evil spell is destroyed. And marrying a dog is the only way to get rid of the bad luck.”
Mangli, on the other hand, was not exactly a happy bride. She later revealed that she was quite nervous about the whole affair, but she went through with it in the hope that it would change her luck. “I am marrying a dog because the village elders believe that my evil spell will be passed on to the dog,” she explained. “After that is done, the man I will marry will have a long life.”
In some parts of rural India, there exists a belief that if planetary positions are unfavorable during birth, it could mean a shortened lifespan for the child’s future spouse. The situation can be remedied, however, by marrying a dog or a tree, thereby canceling the curse.
So that’s what happened in Mangli’s case as well. And despite the fact that the groom was a dog, Mangi’s mother insisted that it was just like any other wedding. “Apart from the fact that the groom is a dog, we followed all customs,” she explained. “We respect the dog as much as we would respect a normal groom. We had to spend money on this wedding in the same way we would in a normal wedding. But that is the only way we can get rid of her bad luck and ensure the benevolence of the village.”
“Many weddings like this have taken place in our village and also the other neighboring villages,” said Mangli’s father. “This is a custom we thoroughly believe in.”
Even though Mangli didn’t like marrying a dog, she agreed with her father: “My villagers say that many girls like me have followed this ritual and they have gotten rid of their evil spells and are living happy lives now. I will marry a man one day. It is the dream of every girl to marry a prince charming. So I am also waiting for my prince.”
Sheru – who probably has no idea he’s married – will continue to live with the family as their pet.
Source: Express.co.uk
