How A Tribal Bride Helped Break A 17-Year 'Parag' In Madhya Pradesh

Last Updated:June 10, 2025, 11:23 IST

Laloi village in Madhya Pradesh ended the harmful 'Parag' tradition. Villagers raised Rs 3 lakh to support a tribal girl's wedding, marking a historic change

Mansi Gaur’s wedding was joyfully celebrated and attended by MLA Bhupendra Singh, who used the historic occasion to condemn the upholding of discriminatory traditions. (Local18)

An archaic custom known as Parag, where an entire village is punished for an individual’s wrongdoing, has finally been broken in  Laloi village, Madhya Pradesh.

Seventeen years ago, a crime was committed in Laloi village, located in the Malthon block of Sagar district, near the Madhya Pradesh-Uttar Pradesh border. In response, the village panchayat unanimously resolved to enforce the traditional practice of Parag. It was believed that anyone who defied this decision would bring misfortune or a curse upon themselves and the village.

For nearly two decades, this fear prevailed, and no one dared to challenge or abandon the social custom.

Deep Impact On The Marginalised

The tradition of Parag disproportionately affected the poor, especially families trying to marry off their daughters. Under this custom, only the marriage of daughters was prohibited in the village, while no such restriction applied to the marriage of sons. In some villages, even the playing of the Shehnai during weddings was entirely banned.

Girls were forced to wed outside the village at great expense, while boys faced no such restriction. Despite modern advancements in science and technology, the regressive custom continued unchecked in this region.

As part of the ritual atonement, the individual responsible for the original offence was required to bathe in the Ganges, the villagers had to host a communal feast, and a symbolic marriage of Tulsi and Shaligram had to be performed on Devuthani Ekadashi. Until these rituals were completed, the oppressive practice remained in force.

Breaking The Silence

This year, the villagers collectively decided to end the age-old tradition by arranging a local girl’s wedding. They raised Rs 3 lakh through community donations to support the wedding of Mansi Gaur, a tribal girl from a poor family.

The event marked a turning point in the village’s social history.

A Wedding That Made History

With the support of all villagers, Mansi Gaur was married in a joyous ceremony. Sarpanch Badal Singh noted that Rs 3 lakh was collected and the entire community joined in welcoming the wedding procession from Narsinghgarh, Damoh. Former Home Minister and MLA Bhupendra Singh also attended.

Bhupendra Singh used the occasion to criticise the hypocrisy of worshipping girls as goddesses while upholding discriminatory practices. He called for a collective societal shift away from harmful traditions to foster genuine equality and progress.

Location :

Sagar, India, India

First Published:

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