Illarikam is a way of life in Jamlam village

Nizamabad: Jamlam village in Yedapalli mandal has a unique feature in that it has 43 of the 1,000 residents as sons-in-law who are staying with their parents-in-law. Although in other places, most of the sons-in-law consider it as an insult and an embarrassment to settle down and stay with their in-laws house permanently, not so in Jamlam village. It is pragmatism for both son-in-law and father-in-law.

Having come to the village 30-40 years back, they reside in houses among the one hundred dwellings. Many of them hail from neighbouring State of Maharashtra. They have settled in Banswada and Kamareddy towns.This strange phenomenon is attributed to elderly persons of the past having just one daughter. Those parents with a single daughter used to get sons-in-law who are willing to settle down permanently with the families. This reached a stage where there was a virtual competition among the elderly and senior citizens to secure willing persons as sons-in-law ready to oblige and stay with the parents-in-law. This suited those families having only one son to get an additional hand to take up farming.

Although some of the elderly sons-in-law died, 20 younger ones continue to stay with their in-laws in joint families. As Jamlam is a small village, they are fondly addressed as ‘kaka’ (uncle). The residents would select their prospective son-in-law among the relatives attending a marriage functioning after considering the person’s behavior.Happily, none of the sons-in-law has opted to move out. They mingle as brothers with villagers, point out local residents Mallesh and Raja Goud, in a chat with The Hans India here on Thursday, while referring to one Lakshmayya, who had joined the growing gang of sons-in-law and stayed put with in-laws to become their latest family member.