Indian toddler marries dog

2007-02-16 13:56

New Delhi - An 18-month-old boy in India's eastern state of Orissa was married to a female dog in the belief that that this would save him from an attack by a tiger, a newspaper reported on Friday.

The wedding took place in the tribal-dominated eastern district of Jajpur on Wednesday, after the toddler's parents found a suitable match in a pet bitch called Samina, the Asian Age daily reported.

"We believe that if the canine teeth in the child's upper jaw develop first, then he will be attacked by a tiger. That's what happened with my son," Sunaram Gagari, the boy's father, told the paper.

Gagari said the tribal community believed that a marriage ceremony was necessary to ward off the "bad omen."

Gagari had earlier thought of getting his son married to a goat. "But its owner may be tempted to sell the goat to a butcher later, and that would have left my son a widower," said the villager, adding "So I settled for a dog as the bride."

Ward off 'evil spells' and 'bad omens'

Marriages between humans and other living beings are not uncommon in India and are mainly arranged by tribals to ward off "evil spells" and "bad omens."

Local news outlets reported separate marriages of two girls with a dog and a snake in tribal districts of Orissa last year.

Tribal elders say such marriages do not affect the children's lives and they would be free to marry again later and did not need to divorce the animals.

- SAPA