Vrinda Azad is the former Sarpanch – or Chief – of her village, one of the most challenging positions that a woman, a dalit and a social worker can find herself in. She was elected Village Chief after more than a decade as an activist. As Sarpanch, her primary struggle was to bring electricity to her village, a quest that…

Vrinda Aazad

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10th March 2015| Jangjir-Champa, Chhattisgarh| Vrinda Azad

This video documents a unique cultural practice where young children are married-off in a community ceremony. The ritual has particular importance for young girls as they are supposed to participate in this ceremony before puberty.

Community Correspondent Vrinda Azad, who is from Chhattisgarh explains the uniqueness of the proceedings, "This community is originally from Odisha; they've been settled here for the past few decades. You hardly ever get to see such rituals being performed in Chhattisgarh anymore and so I felt that I should document this tradition. The wedding is only a symbolic ritual. There isn't actually a bride and groom who are being paired-off for a future together. For those who participate in it, the wedding symbolises hope. Many families believe that doing this will ensure that their children actually get married when they grow older."

There are several variations of such mock weddings across Odisha, especially along the coastal belt.