Jeypore: A man and a woman, who had eloped to Andhra Pradesh during Rath Yatra, were on Sunday humiliated and tied to a yoke like bullocks at Peda Itiki village of Bargi GP under Narayanpatna block in Odisha’s Koraput.
Sounds familiar! The incident brought back images of a tribal couple, which was made to go through a similar purification ritual for allegedly marrying within the same clan in Rayagada district, a few days ago.
According to sources, a kangaroo court allegedly forced the couple, Narendra Pidika (22) of Pedaitiki and Asanti Pidika (21), from the Kondh community in Koraput to wear garlands of shoes. They were then paraded before the villagers and forced to haul a plough on their shoulders at the village square. The reason: Same as that in Rayagada.
Marriage between blood relatives is considered a taboo in the community.
This alleged public humiliation was part of a ‘traditional purification’ ritual to absolve them of a ‘supposed sin’, after the woman’s family agreed to accept their relationship only if local customs were followed. They had returned to their respective villages two days ago.
Sources said the couple was lured into undergoing the traditional penance with false promises of acceptance. Subsequently, they were made to offer prayers before the village deity and finally allowed to stay in Narendra’s house. “This is a traditional ritual through which the couple seek forgiveness of the elders for the sin, which is believed to invite wrath of the goddess, causing crop failure and disease outbreaks. They will now be allowed to live together,” a villager told a local channel.
However, the video of the incident, which has now gone viral, has sparked outrage over this practice in Odisha’s tribal regions. Human rights activists have called for immediate intervention and legal action.
As of now, no police complaint has been filed, and local authorities are yet to comment on the matter.