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Polyandry (/ ˈ p ɒ l i ˌ æ n d r i, ˌ p ɒ l i ˈ æ n-/; from Ancient Greek πολύ (polú) 'many' and ἀνήρ (anḗr) 'man') is a form of polygamy in which a woman takes two or more husbands at the same time. Polyandry is contrasted with polygyny, involving one male and two or more females.
Polyandry in India refers to the practice of polyandry, whereby a woman has two or more husbands at the same time, either historically on the Indian subcontinent or currently in the country of India. An early example can be found in the Hindu epic Mahabharata , in which Draupadi , daughter of the king of Panchala , is married to five brothers.
Currently, polyandry is present in all Tibetan areas, but particularly common in some rural regions of Tsang and Kham that are faced with extreme living conditions. [9] A 2008 study of several villages in Xigaze and Qamdo prefectures found that 20-50% of the families were polyandric, with the majority having two husbands.
Note: separate in the marriage column refers to the practice of husbands and wives living in separate locations, often informally called walking marriages. See the articles for the specific cultures that practice this for further description.
The authors found that polyandry was most common in egalitarian societies, and suspected contributors to polyandry included fewer men (due to the existence or threat of high adult male mortality or absence/travel) and higher male contributions towards food production. [6] Polyandry still appears to occur in the minority of societies.
Both Polygyny and polyandry were practiced in Sri Lanka till the end of colonial period. [1] [2] [3] References Further reading. Birx, H. James. ...
Another factor for its start was war. When numerous men die in combat, having more than one wife boosts the population. A person's status in society and wealth became associated with the number of wives a man had. On the contrary, polyandry was a way of limiting a population with few resources and too many people.
Between the 12th century CE and the 15th century CE, polygamy was a cultural practice of the Mali Empire. [ 8 ] [ 9 ] In the Mande narrative of Sundiata Keita ’s Epic , Keita partook in a polygamous marriage with two women, whom he had children with, and whose children were in political competition with one another.