India is a land of weird and unsettling traditions. These rituals have been deep-rooted in Indian culture. They are followed religiously without anyone raising doubts about their credibility.
Indians strongly believe in superstitions, and it is not uncommon for them to fix their problems with bizarre solutions. These might include marrying a woman to a dog to cast away her dark energy or marrying one girl to seven brothers for prosperity. Multitudinous similar cases have caught the attention of the public over many years.
One similar case is of Mangli Munda of Jharkhand district, who was married off to a dog after the local guru declared that she was under the possession of evil forces. The family married her off to a dog to protect her future from any misfortune. Mangli Munda wished to marry her prince charming after her marriage with a dog had been taken care of.
Mangli Munda Hailed From a Traditional Indian Family
Mangli Munda, an 18-year-old girl, belonged to a strictly traditional family from a small village in Jharkhand, India. The girls in small Indian towns are raised under the strict societal teachings of their religion and traditions.
This explains why many Indian teenage girls fantasize so much about their weddings. The girls are taught to take care of their future homes, take responsibility for the kitchen, and keep their husbands happy.
Mangli was just another small-town woman who learned and followed her traditions devotedly. She, too, wanted to marry a rich, handsome man just like any other girl. However, her luck wasn’t good enough, and she had to wait for her beloved groom for a little while.
The Pandit Deemed Mangli Munda Unfit for Marriage
As soon as Mangli turned of age, Sri Amnmunda, the father of Mangli Munda, started to look for a potential groom for her. Sri Amnmunda contacted a local Pandit (a Hindu scholar or priest) to find Mangli’s horoscope.
Hindus tend to learn the forecast of their future events before entering marriage or any crucial life phases. Unfortunately for Mangli, the result of her horoscope put her through a rough patch of time.
According to the Pandit, Mangli carried the energy of an evil spirit in her. It was necessary to remove Mangli’s negative energy before she could enter married life.
The Panchayat Made a Decision for Mangli’s Life
Sri Amnmunda did not take any solo decisions because, in small Indian towns, people live like a family and discuss every matter. Therefore, Amnmunda took the case to the Panchayat (the judicial system in Indian villages).
The Panchayat sat with the Pandit and had a thorough discussion. According to the Pandit, the negative spirit could create difficulties in Mangli’s and her husband’s lives. The problems could be as hazardous as death, a great loss of fortune, or life-threatening accidents.
Therefore, the Pandit and Panchayat came up with a solution that had been followed for ages. The Pandit said that only Mangli’s marriage to a dog could save her life from misfortune. He explained that Mangli’s negative energy would go away after she married a dog. The evil spirit will take hold of the dog’s body and free Mangli from its trap.
The Quest of Finding a Dog Groom
The whole village came to one decision and decided to marry Mangli to a dog before she was wedded to a human being. The practice of marrying a girl to a dog was one of the most practiced traditions in the small town of Jharkhand.
Therefore, Mangli was not shocked by the conclusion of the discussion. Sri Amnmundi began to search for the ideal dog. He searched for a few days when he found a healthy, light brown-colored stray dog in one of the streets of the small village. He later named it Sheru. He carried the canine home and groomed the dog before the auspicious day of Mangli’s wedding.
Mangli Munda Got Married to a Street Dog
In September 2014, a lavish wedding was arranged for the 18-year-old Mangli. An estimated amount of 70 guests enjoyed participating in Mangli’s wedding. Mangli herself was not so happy about marrying a dog.
She said in an interview that she had always dreamed of marrying a handsome man as a girl. However, her bad luck took the chance away from her. She was not disheartened as she knew she would be marrying a suitable groom really soon once her evil energy was warded off. Mangli stated:
“I am marrying a dog because the village elders believe that my evil spell will be passed on to the dog. After that is done, the man I will marry will have a long life.” (Mangli Munda)
Mangli Munda to Take Care of Her Dog Groom
The Pandit told Mangli to take good care of her pet husband once she was married to it. She was supposed to feed it and groom it daily. The Pandit further informed her to adopt a kind and loving behavior towards the dog groom as she would have done in the case of a human husband.
Mangli was allowed to remarry a man after a few months of marriage with the dog. Furthermore, there was no need of divorcing the dog. Mangli could enjoy a second marriage while staying in a marriage with Sheru.
Mangli’s Parents Respected the Dog Groom
Sri Amnmundi was content with the Pandit’s and Panchayats’ decision about Mangli’s marriage. He said that he wanted a happy life for Mangli and if the dog was taking away the evil spirit with him, then so be it.
Mangli’s mother said she respected the dog as much as she might have respected a human groom. She claimed having invested money in Mangli’s wedding just like any traditional Indian wedding, which was a clear sign of accepting and celebrating the Pandit’s verdict.
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