A group of children have married dogs in a tribal ceremony in northern India.
Residents of Kuluptang in Jharkhand organised the 'kukur vivaha' or 'marriage of dogs' with local children in a bid to ward off evil.


Parents of children whose first tooth grows out of the upper jaw perform such marriages "for the peace and welfare of the entire community" because such growth is considered "inauspicious".

Sushila, whose one-year-old son Durga was one of the grooms, said: "In such cases, dog marriage is one of the ways to ward off evil."

The children were bathed in a river before being led in a procession to a place of worship where the wedding took place.

Sonamuni, a 54-year-old woman, whose three-year-old granddaughter was given away in marriage to a dog, told Press Trust of India: "The wedding was no less important than other ceremonies. All customs which are normally associated with marriage were followed but discreetly."