This family structure is closely related to the caravan trade, when men were absent for long periods of time– traveling for up to eight months at a time to transport salt from Tibet and rice from the Achham region. On the one hand, this limited their time together at home, and on the other, from an economic perspective, it allowed them to share resources, reduce land division and have a larger support system, which enabled them to prosper economically. However, with the continuing decline in this form of work and the rise in unemployment, everyday life has changed and individual needs have shifted, which raises the question of whether polyandry will continue to be practiced. 

Nepalese filmmaker Ganesh Panday’s documentary invites a dialogue about how different a household and a family can look, what economic considerations go into such a structure, how to define a ‘successful’ household and what role love plays in marriage.

“A deeply human and visually stunning exploration of love, duty, and family in the high Himalayas, offering a rare glimpse into the intimate rhythms of fraternal polyandry. More than an ethnographic study, it’s a moving portrait of resilience and connection that expands our understanding of what kinship can mean in South Asia and in the world.” – Prof. Harjant Gill, President, Society for Visual Anthropology