Two Orissa girls defy norms, get married


KORAPUT: Two Kondh women from Orissa's Koraput district have defied all norms of their tribal society to live as ˜man and wife" after tying the knot recently. Bateka Palang, 30, wed her bride, 25-year-old Maleka Nilsa of Ghumuru village in Bandhugaon block in a traditional ceremony at Dandabadi, a remote village in Narayanpatna block, in the presence of family.

The village has given its grudging approval ”the elders have asked residents not to talk about it to outsiders for fear of shame ”to the relationship that was formalised after all the usual wedding rituals, including dowry changing hands.

Villagers said the women who wed were cousins and their relationship had developed when Bateka used to visit her would-be wife's home. "About four years ago, I had gone to my cousin's home and found a nice friend in Maleka. She was caring and loving. Gradually we started spending more time with each other but we had never thought that one day we would get married," Bateka said.


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