Rayagada (Odisha): Even in this modern age, when countries around the world are freeing themselves from the shackles of blind belief in outdated traditions, the menace of child marriage continues unabated in a village in Odisha.
The sight of villagers immersing themselves in a festive spirit, with the music of drums and trumpets in the backdrop might look celebratory at first sight, but the reality is a dark truth.
In the Gauda Lelibadi village of Kolanara block in Rayagada district, the issue of child marriage still persists, with families marrying off their daughters well before they turn 18, the legal age for marrying women in India.
The village is home to around 50 Magada Gauda families, whose traditional beliefs dictate that a girl must be married off before she hits puberty. The community believes that if a girl hits puberty before she is wedded, it would invite a curse upon the entire village. They even consider it as a bad omen for the girl's family.
In the 'unfortunate' event of a girl attaining puberty before her marriage, she is ostracized by the community. Going by the words of their forefathers and as per the social tradition, as soon as the girl attains puberty, the villagers take the girl in a procession to the forest away from the village at midnight and abandon her.
As a result, in the name of traditional beliefs, or even for the fear of social exclusion, the members of the community marry off their daughters between the age of five and ten.
Rich or poor, everyone is compelled to follow the tradition of child marriage, a practice which has long been banned in the country.
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