Jharkhand tribals seem to be influenced by the concept of live-in relationship. Interestingly, local intellectuals, social activists and Jharkhand State Commission for Women (JSCW) term it a better way of ‘understanding each other’s lifestyle’.
“It has been a tradition in many of the tribal communities of Jharkhand. look at it in a good sense. Earlier, living together was common in villages. A tribal man and woman would stay together without being married out of love and affection. It used to result stability in a relationship. There are many families in villages of Hatia and Khunti where living together has been continuing since ages,” social activist Aloka said.
Notably, tribal customs like ‘Gotul’ and ‘Gharghusiya’ practiced in tribal regions allow youngsters to be roomies till they are sure that the partner he or she has chosen is good enough for marriage.
State capital’s maid servants Phoolbuni and Rupam Devi had followed ‘Gotul’ for choosing their daughter-in-laws.
“My son was in affair with a girl working as maid servant in our locality. He later brought the girl to our home. Initially, I was worried. But then, I was convinced with her presence. They got married after living together for around two months.”
Similarly, Ashok Kumar Mahto, a Research Scholar of Kurmali language at Ranchi University’s Tribal and Regional languages department said, “Nowadays, finding a good job is difficult for tribal youngsters. I have few friends of Ranchi and Ramgarh aged between 25 to 35 years who are constantly failing to get a government job within the state. On the other side, they cannot stay without their lover so prefer maintaining a live-in relationship as marriage without a job is not possible.”
Around two or four such cases are often witnessed during the Mobile Courts organized by JSCW in various districts. “We often come across girls hailing from villages of Ranchi or Jamshedpur who want to marry their partner after staying in a live-in relation for one or four years. When we tell them that live-in is legalized by Supreme Court, they are shocked. The trend is rising as rural girls are becoming independent and need a shoulder to lean upon for social security,” JSCW Chairperson Mahua Maji pointed out.
Stressing on the immediate need of banning such bonds focusing only on sexual intimacy, Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences Medical Superintendent Dr AK Nag said, “Earlier, live-in relations were restricted within elite society but now even the villagers are more accustomed to stay with a partner without the tag of marriage and continue physical closeness. This is due to lack of knowledge. laws legalizing live-in relations should be banned.”
The Pioneer in a report ‘live-In Giving liberty to Extra Marital Affairs!’ published on December 9, 2013 had mentioned about JSCW wherein such laws are creating hassles in tackling cases registered by urbanized housewives against their husband who are into live-in relation with another woman.