By Sandip Pauranik

Betul (Madhya Pradesh), Jul 9 (IANS): In what could be a first of its kind wedding, a man in Madhya Pradesh married two women at the same time in the same 'mandap' in presence of villagers and family members with all the rituals and formalities.

Sandeep Uike, a resident of Madhya Pradesh's Betul, solemnised the marriage with two women at a ceremony in Keria village under Ghodadongri block, about 40 km from Betul district headquarters on July 8. The district administration is now investigating how this could happen.

According to information, Uike, a tribal youth of Keria village, is now married to two women -- one from Hoshangabad district and another from Koyalari village of Ghodadongri block. Uike came in contact with the woman from Hoshangabad when he was studying in Bhopal. As the courtship was going on, his family decided to marry him to a girl of their choice from Koyalari village. This led to a dispute and to resolve this a meeting of the Panchayat was convened by the three families.

It was decided that if both women are ready to live together with Uike, then both of them should be married to him. The girls agreed to this.

The wedding ceremony was held in Keria village, where the young man solemnised the marriage with both the brides, taking seven rounds of the sacred fire. Those who attended the ceremony included the village folk along with the families of bridegroom and both the brides.

This was the first time that a bridegroom took vows to spend his life with two wives. All the formalities of the marriage along with rituals were performed.

Mishrilal Parate, vice-president of Janpad Panchayat Ghodadongri and a witness to the marriage, said that the three families had no objection and themselves decided to go ahead with the marriage.

Owing to the coronavirus pandemic, it is necessary to take permission from the administration to organise any kind of function. However, Ghodadongri Tehsildar Monika Vishwakarma said no such permission for marriage was sought nor was any given. She said she is sending an official to investigate the matter.