Boy marries dog to ward off tiger attacks

[Ban Hammer 13,643]

BHUBANESWAR, India (Reuters) – An infant boy was married off to his neighbors' dog in eastern India by villagers, who said it will stop the groom from being killed by wild animals, officials and witnesses said on Wednesday.

Around 150 tribespeople performed the ritual recently in a hamlet in the state of Orissa's Jajpur district after the boy, who is under two years old, grew a tooth on his upper gum.

The Munda tribe see such a growth in young children as a bad omen and believe it makes them prone to attacks by tigers and other animals. The tribal god will bless the child and ward off evil spirits after the marriage.

"We performed the marriage because it will overcome any curse that might fall on the child as well on us," the boy's father, Sanarumala Munda, was quoted as saying by a local newspaper.

The groom, Sagula, was carried by his family in a procession to the village temple, where a priest solemnized the marriage between Sagula and his bride, Jyoti, by chanting Sanskrit hymns, a witness said.

The dog belongs to the groom's neighbors and was set free to roam around the area after the ceremony. No dowry was exchanged, the witness said, and the boy will still be able to marry a human bride in the future without filing for divorce.

Indian law does not recognize weddings between people and animals, but the ritual survives in rural and tribal areas of the country.

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[Amby 490]

WOW!

[Nagishkaw 510]

The dog belongs to the groom's neighbors and was set free to roam around the area after the ceremony. No dowry was exchanged, the witness said, and the boy will still be able to marry a human bride in the future without filing for divorce.

That's good to know.

[trinket 30]

Oh there are a few more stories like that..........getting married off to a Banyan tree. Marrying off two frogs in hopes of rain.

Superstition

[Jasman0717 9]

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Are all those marriages consumated?

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Considering that there are few (less than 1,500) wild tigers left in India, the danger of them being attacked/eaten by tigers was close to nil anyway.

Edited February 19, 2009 by CherryXS

[DeadPoolX 9]

So I guess he wouldn't be far off if he called his wife a b1tch.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

So I guess he wouldn't be far off if he called his wife a b1tch.

[Peikko 1,575]

Are all those marriages consumated?

No. It's symbolic.

[Ban Hammer 13,643]

Are all those marriages consumated?

i'd be guessing this one would be via doggy style.