18-y.o. girl marries dog in India

18-year-old Indian girl Mangli Munda has married a dog to break an evil spell that was expected to bring misfortune to her first husband, family and community, Tengrinews reports citing British Daily Mail.

The village's elders in Jharkhand state, India told her family that the curse was hanging over the young girl and according to the village's customs, the only way to ward off the spell is to marry a dog. Otherwise, the spell was to bring a bad luck to Mangli's first husband. "The village elders told us that we should organise the wedding as soon as we can. We had to make sure that the evil spell is destroyed," Mangli's father Sri Amnmunda said.

The father of the girl brought a stray dog that was destined to become Mangli’s spouse.

Even though the girl herself was not particularly enthusiastic about wedding a dog, she complied because she believed that it would help change her destiny for the better. "I am marrying a dog because the village elders believe that my evil spell will be passed on to the dog,” she said, “After that is done, the man I will marry will have a long life.”

The wedding was organized in accordance with all Hindu traditions. “Apart from the fact that the groom is a dog, we followed all customs. We respected the dog as much as we would respect a normal groom," Mangli's mother Seems Devi said, “We had to spend money on this wedding in the same way as we would in a normal wedding. But that is the only way we could get rid of her bad luck and ensure the benevolence of the village.”

It is not the first time in India when a girl marries a dog. “Many weddings like this have taken place in our village and also the other neighbouring villages. This is a custom that we thoroughly believe in,” Mangli's father Sri Amnmunda said.

According to the village elders, with the ceremony over, all the young girl will have to do is keep the dog as a pet for the next few months. Thereafter, she is free to marry any other man without the need to "divorce" from the dog. “I will marry a man one day. It is the dream of every girl to marry a prince charming. So I am also waiting for my prince,“ young girl said.

By Assel Satubaldina