Tree marriage

{{Short description|Symbolic marriage between human and tree}}

Tree marriage is a form of symbolic proxy marriage between a human and a tree that is said to be infused with supernatural life and may allow a bachelor to become a widower when the tree is felled and thus marry a human widow.{{Cite web |title=Tree marriage | rite |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/tree-marriage |website=Encyclopedia Britannica}} Traditionally, Hindus could not marry three times. To avoid this, anyone who had been widowed twice and wanted to look for a new wife had to first celebrate a marriage ceremony with a sahada tree (Streblus asper), which was then cut down.{{Cite journal |last=Edwards |first=S. M. |date=1922 |title=Tree-Worship in India |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/42594479 |journal=Empire Forestry Journal |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=78–86 |jstor=42594479 |access-date=28 December 2023}} It was once widespread in India among cults which believed trees contain hidden sacred medicine, fertility enhancers or souls of the dead and unborn.

In 2007, Aishwarya Rai announced that she would marry a tree.{{Cite web |last=Foster |first=Peter |date=February 1, 2007 |title=Film star faces lawsuit after 'marrying' a tree |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1541309/Film-star-faces-lawsuit-after-marrying-a-tree.html |via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}

The Inquisitr reported that women in San Jacinto Amilpas were marrying trees to protest logging.{{Cite web |title='Tree Marriage': Women In Mexico Marry Trees |url=https://www.inquisitr.com/4807782/tree-marriage-women-in-mexico-marry-trees/ |website=www.inquisitr.com}}