Eka-Ge-Kema: A Polyandary System of Marriage in Ancient Sri Lanka.

Culture of a country is like a mirror which reflects the human behaviour, the thoughts, attitudes, feelings and expectations of people. Family is the smallest unit of the society which is formed by a legal marriage. The ancient Sri Lankan folk society consists of few types of marriages which have a great cultural value but they are not accepted now in the modern society. 

Polyandry is one such types of marriage practiced in Kandy in Central province, Sri Lanka. This is also known as eka-ge-kema which means eating in one house. In polyandrous marriage, a wife was allowed to share the bed not only with her husband but also with her husband's brothers. Seven brothers of one family were permitted to marry one woman chosen by them after a discussion by the law of the Kandyan era. If there are more than seven brothers in the family, the eighth Male was allowed to marry another woman. The significant feature of this case was though the elder brothers are not permitted to have sexual relationship with the wife of the eighth brother, he was allowed to continue the sexual relationship with elder brothers' wife. 

Though these polyandary marriages seem to be disgusting nowadays, it was the custom prevailed during the past. The ancient upcountry farming families wanted to protect the ownership of the properties and to distribute them among the same family members. The children born to this family called their mother's husbands as Appachchi, Loku Appachchi, Kudappachchi etc according to the order of their age. All the family members lived peacefully at that time and there were no big issues at all.

Eventhough the polyandary marriages are practiced between a woman and approximately with seven males of the same family, it depicts certain codes of ethics that don't make any of the member of the family to embarrassing. The Male of the family used to fasten his girdle blade on the door before he joined with the wife. It clearly gave the signal to the other males of the family not to disturb them during this period. 

The food, health of the husbands were equally cared by the wife well. She gave her fullest support to build up economy of the house. In the same way, the kids and the wife were treated well by all the husbands and the woman who got married under polyandary system of marriage was considered a lucky woman. 

In 1859, Polyandary system of marriage was  banned by the British. However, this is not seen in Sri Lanka now, it was considered culturally, economically and socially valued system of marriage.