ORDER
N.M. Kasliwal, J.

1. Special leave granted.

2. This case reveals how a pernicious custom known as ‘GURAWAT’ (Salta-Palta) resulted in matrimonial casualty in respect of two families of Agarwal Community. There is a custom prevailing in Agarwal Community of Chhatisgarh region in the State of Madhya Pradesh known as ‘GURAWAT’. According to this custom brothers and sisters of one family are married to brothers and sisters of another family. The parties in the present case belong to educated families of Agarwal Community of Durg in Chhatisgarh region of Madhya Pradesh. Sanat Kumar Agarwal appellant was married to Smt. Nandini, respondent and Shivnarain elder brother of Nandini was married to Shakuntala, sister of Sanat Kumar on 11.6.1978 at Durg. At the time of marriage Sanat Kumar was employed at Balchand Nagar (Pune). Both the brides went to the respective houses of their in-laws after their marriage. In Chhatisgarh area, the women celebrate the festival of Teez at their parents houses and, therefore, Shivnarain took his sister to their parents house and similarly Shakuntala came back to her parents house. It appears that there, was a dissension between Shivnarain and Shakuntala and on that account she remained at her parents house and as such Nandini also remained at her parents house. Sanat Kumar along with his sister Shakuntala and mother on 28.11.1978 tried to resolve the matrimonial friction between the two families. On 1.12.1978 a talk was held between Sanat Kumar and Shivnarain at the house of the father of Nandini and ultimately on 3.12.1978 Shivnarain took Shakuntala to his house and Sanat Kumar also brought Nandini to his house after Vida ceremony.