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    Among the following tribes, which one practiced fraternal polyandry?
    Question

    Among the following tribes, which one practiced fraternal polyandry?

    A.

    Irula

    B.

    Bhil

    C.

    Santhal

    D.

    Toda

    Correct option is D

    Introduction

    The tribe that traditionally practiced fraternal polyandry is the Toda tribe.

    Additional Knowledge

    • Fraternal Polyandry is a rare form of marriage where a woman is married to two or more brothers simultaneously.

    • Toda Tribe: The Todas are a small pastoral community of the Nilgiri Hills in Tamil Nadu. They traditionally practiced fraternal polyandry, where a woman, upon marrying the eldest brother, automatically became the wife of his younger brothers as well. This custom was primarily an economic strategy to prevent the fragmentation of the family's land and buffalo herds across generations.

    Information Booster

    • Irula, Bhil, and Santhal: These tribes, unlike the Toda, do not have a history of fraternal polyandry. The Bhil and Santhal tribes generally practice monogamy or, in some cases, polygyny (one man with multiple wives).

    • Paternity Ritual: In the traditional Toda system, a specific ceremony, often involving the presentation of a bow and arrow to the pregnant wife by one of the brothers, was performed to ritually establish social fatherhood for the child. This designated father was then considered the father of any subsequent children until another brother performed the ritual.

    • Decline: The practice of fraternal polyandry among the Toda has largely declined due to modernization, Christian missionary influence, and the prohibition of female infanticide (which the tribe had historically practiced, contributing to an imbalanced sex ratio that favored polyandry).

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