Really surprising!! We talk of live-in relationships in hushed voices. A tribe in Rajasthan has system of live-in with the person of choice. Only after they have a love child are they allowed to marry. If they do not become parents while in ‘live-in’ for a long time, they are allowed to separate. Then they can choose a different partner. This cycle goes on…phew.

Udaipur, Sirohi and Pali districts have Garasiya tribes. The tradition of this tribe matches that of our modern world. The young boys and girls start living together through mutual consent. Once they have kids, they get married. Many a times, after children are born, they try to stay away from marriage to avoid the burdens and responsibilities of a married life. They also get married at the age of 50 or more and what is interesting is that by then their grand children also attend their wedding. Recently an 80 year old man Pabura married his 70 year old live-in partner Rupli in which his great grand children were also present.

How it started?

Years back four Garasiya brothers settled elsewhere. Three of these got married and one started living with his partner. The married brothers did not have any children whereas the live-in couple had, hence the generations carried on. This changed the thought process and they started believing in live-in relationships before marriage. This tradition is said to be a 1000 years old.

Daapa-pratha local term for live-in

A two day fare is organised in Rajasthan and Gujarat where teenagers meet and elope. On returning to the village, they start living together like man and wife. The boy’s family also pays a certain amount to the girl’s family with mutual consent. They marry as per convenience after they have children. Not only this, the woman is free to choose another man in the next fare for which the new partner has to pay more amount than the previous live-in partner. The groom’s family members bear the expense of the wedding and the wedding venue is the groom’s house.