Unique wedding in Himachal Pradesh: Constitution becomes witness, not rituals or priest; brothers redefine tradition

SHIMLA: In a unique wedding in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district, two brothers from Kalog village in Nainidhar area of tehsil Shillai broke away from centuries-old traditions to hold a wedding guided entirely by constitutional and humanist values.On October 26, Sunil Kumar and Vinod Kumar solemnised their marriages without any priest, sacred fire, or seven vows — taking the Indian Constitution as their sole witness.Inspired by the ideals of the architect of Constituition, Bhim Rao Ambedkar, the brothers replaced religious customs with a pledge of equality and mutual respect.

After exchanging garlands with their brides — Sunil with Ritu of village Katadi and Vinod with Reena Verma of village Naya — the couples vowed before the Constitution to remain committed partners for life.

They declared Ambedkar and the Constitution as witnesses to their union and received blessings from family and villagers.A large number of villagers attended the ceremony and expressed admiration for the couple’s progressive stance. The family, which has embraced Buddhism, organised the ceremony in line with Ambedkarite principles. Their wedding invitation featured images of Lord Buddha, Sant Kabir and Ambedkar, symbolizing their faith in equality, rationalism, and constitutional morality.

Both Sunil and Vinod, who work in govt service, have been active in promoting social awareness. They believe that “marriage is the union of two hearts” and does not require religious rituals to validate it. Despite their unconventional approach, the wedding maintained elements of local culture, including a traditional baraat procession.The brothers said they hope their act encourages others to think beyond caste and ritual.

“We will continue to work for social reform and inspire the younger generation to do the same,” they affirmed.Earlier, in July, a unique wedding in the same Shillai region of Sirmaur district revived the Hatti tribe’s ancient polyandry tradition, known as Jodidara Pratha. Two brothers, Pradeep and Kapil Negi from Thindo village, married the same woman, Sunita Chauhan of nearby Kunhat village, in a traditional ceremony held from July 12 to 14 with the consent of both families. The rare union drew public attention for reviving a fading custom. Pradeep works in the state govt’s jal shakti department, while Kapil is employed as a chef abroad.