CHANDIGARH: In Haryana’s hinterland infamous for female foeticide, Saudapur has come to be known as village of sons-in-law. Here, daughters are welcome with open arms in case their marriage falls apart or their husbands lack job. Villagers help their sons-in-law to earn their livings and start a new life.
Four kilometres from Panipat bus stand on the Asand Road, Saudapur has a population of 12,500 of which 7,500 are original inhabitants. There are about 1,000 families, and in more than 600, sons-in-law have made it their permanent home. The village has 5,000 voters; the number was 1,200 in 2002.
“Some sons-in-law have shifted to the village as there are job opportunities here due to the industrial area nearby. In many cases, the girls were married off in distant places, and their husbands did not have proper jobs. Hence, they shifted their base to Panipat,’’ says Rajesh Saini, sarpanch.
The sons-in-law in Saudapur village near Panipat in Haryana initially stayed in their parents-in-law’s house before shifting to rented accommodations or their own houses.
In some houses, second generation of sons-in-laws have settled down. Saini’s father Jai Bhagwan was also the son-in-law of the village.
“My maternal grandfather, and then my maternal uncle and maternal aunt were the sarpanches of this village. Now I am the sarpanch. My father, who had shifted here some 40 years ago, has a dairy business and I have a cable business. Now I am full time into politics,’’ adds Saini.
Former sarpanch Azad Singh says that if any son-in-law has any problem living in his native place, he shifts here and settle down. “There is total harmony among the villagers,” he adds.
Bhagwan shifted to the village from his native Bitchpandi in Sonepat district due to family dispute. “When I and my wife left my village, we thought of committing suicide but later changed our decision as my wife said, ‘let’s go to my parents’ place. If they also do not give us shelter, then we will take the final decision’.’’
The latest son-in-law to settle down in the village is Karambir from Pawati village in Panipat. He got married three months ago. As Karambir did not earn much in his native village, he shifted here 15 days back. “I have rented a room where I am staying with my wife, and have also opened a auto repair shop on a rented place,” he adds.
Daily-wager Ramesh Kumar shifted to Saudapur five years after his marriage, from his village in Kaithal district. He said, “It has been more than a decade that I shifted here to my uncle’s house, and after a couple of months I built my own house. My village hardly had any job opportunities.”