Man forced to shell out Rs 90,000 fine, shave head & host feast for inter-caste marriage in Odisha

KORAPUT: A 22-year-old tribal man in Odisha’s Koraput district was allegedly forced to pay Rs 90,000 fine, host a community feast, and have his head publicly shaven after marrying a woman, also aged 22, from another tribe. The man, a Class X pass out, does odd jobs. His father, Ananta Khila, a farmer, paid the money.The Sunday afternoon incident unfolded just two km from Koraput district headquarters, in a forested patch near Chappar village where members of a local community gathered under tents for what appeared to be a traditional settlement ceremony. Amid the cooking of meat and rice and the exchange of money, a young couple’s union was formally accepted—but only after the groom paid a social price.Maheswar Khila of Kumbhar Sahi in Jeypore town had been in a long-standing relationship with Urmila Khada, a woman from the tribal Rana community. Maheswar belongs to the Mali community. The caste differece with Urmila became a major hurdle, with neither side initially approving of their marriage.Faced with opposition, the couple reportedly eloped and stayed outside the area for some time. Their absence, however, triggered deliberations within the Mali community, which eventually convened a meeting to resolve the issue. “It was decided by the community seniors that Maheswar would have to publicly shave his head, organise a feast of meat and rice for community members, and pay a penalty of Rs 90,000. Only upon fulfilling these conditions would the marriage be recognised and Urmila allowed entry into her husband’s home,” said Bharat Mali, a community member. According to Bharat, on the appointed day, the directives were carried out in full.Contacted, the groom refused to comment.