What Is Sasural (ससुराल)?
Sasural (ससुराल) means the spouse’s family home, and by extension the spouse’s entire family network. In Indian culture, marriage is famously not just between two individuals but between two families, so the day you marry you inherit a whole new set of rishte that come with their own names, hierarchy and expectations. Knowing the sasural ke rishte by name is the first step to navigating festivals, weddings and everyday household life without awkwardness.
The word descends from Sanskrit shvashura (father-in-law) — the sasural is literally “the house of the shvashura”. For the wider picture of how these names sit alongside the paternal and maternal sides, see the complete Hindi rishte ke naam list.
Wife's Perspective: Husband's Family Names
Husband's Perspective: Wife's Family Names
Jethani vs Devrani: The Elder-Younger Distinction
This is the most misunderstood sasural relationship:
- Jethani (जेठानी) — The wife of your husband’s elder brother (Jeth). She is senior to you by marriage hierarchy.
- Devrani (देवरानी) — The wife of your husband’s younger brother (Devar). She is junior to you.
In traditional joint families, Jethani has higher authority in kitchen and household matters. Devrani is expected to defer to both Jethani and you. This hierarchy is a defining feature of the Indian joint family system.
The relationship between Jethani and Devrani is one of the most dramatised in Bollywood and TV serials — sometimes affectionate, sometimes competitive. In reality, it is simply a matter of age-based seniority, like Tau vs Chacha.
Nanad: Husband's Sister — A Unique Relationship
The nanad (ननद) — husband’s sister — occupies a special and sometimes complex position. In traditional culture:
- Nanad is the “princess of her parents’ house” — she was there before you arrived.
- The nanad-bhabhi (sister-in-law / brother’s wife) dynamic is iconic in Indian families.
- Many cultures celebrate the nanad’s role during weddings and festivals with specific rituals.
- The nanad’s husband is Nandoi — a term that has no English equivalent whatsoever.
Sadhū / Co-Brother-in-Law: The Sala-Sadhu Bond
When two sisters marry, their husbands are called sadhū (साढ़ू) or samdhi to each other. English uses the clumsy term “co-brother-in-law”. In India, the sadhu-sadhu bond is a genuine social relationship with its own dynamics:
- They attend the same in-law gatherings and festivals.
- They may coordinate on financial matters affecting the wife’s parents.
- In close families, sadhus become genuine friends — they share the same “outsider at the in-laws” experience.
Respect Norms in Sasural
- Add -ji to all sasural names: Saas-ji, Sasur-ji, Jeth-ji, Nanad-ji.
- Ghunghat/Parda — Some traditional families still practice parda before Sasur-ji and Jeth-ji. This is declining in urban India.
- Devar — In North India, the Devar is often treated with affectionate familiarity (like a younger brother). In some cultures, the bhabhi-devar teasing relationship is culturally sanctioned.
- Nanad — Traditionally called by name (not with -ji) but with affection. The bhabhi is expected to give gifts to nanad during festivals.
Regional Variations in In-Law Names
- Marathi: Saas = Sasu. Nanad = Nanad. Devar = Deevar. Jethani = Jau.
- Bengali: Saas = Shashuri. Nanad = Nanad. Devar = Deor. Jethani = Jaa.
- Punjabi: Saas = Sass-ji. Jeth = Jeth-ji. Nanad = Nanooh. Sadhu = Saadhu.
- Tamil: Saas = Maami. Sala = Machchaan. The relationships map differently due to cross-cousin marriage culture.
- Gujarati: Saas = Sasu. Nanad = Nanad. Devrani = Devraani.
How ParivaarPro Auto-Calculates Sasural Rishte
When you add your spouse in ParivaarPro and build out their family, the app automatically labels every in-law relationship correctly. Spouse’s elder brother? Jeth. His wife? Jethani. Your spouse’s sister’s husband? Nandoi. No memorisation required.
Try the Rishta Calculator to calculate any relationship between two people in your family tree.
Sasural Rishte FAQ (अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल)
- Jethani aur Devrani mein kya fark hai?
- Jethani is the wife of your husband’s elder brother (Jeth); Devrani is the wife of your husband’s younger brother (Devar). The only difference is age seniority — Jethani ranks above Devrani in the family hierarchy.
- Sala ki wife ko kya bolte hain?
- Salhaj (सल्हज) — she is your wife’s brother’s wife.
- Nanad ka husband ko kya bolte hain?
- Nandoi (नंदोई) — the husband of your husband’s sister. English has no single word for this relationship.
- Sadhu (saadhu) kaun hota hai?
- When two sisters marry, their husbands are sadhū (साढ़ू) to each other — the English “co-brother-in-law”. It is your wife’s sister’s husband.
- Devar aur Jeth mein kya antar hai?
- Both are your husband’s brothers. Jeth (जेठ) is the elder brother and Devar (देवर) is the younger brother.
- Husband ki behen ko kya bolte hain?
- Nanad (ननद) — your husband’s sister. Her husband is your Nandoi.
- Saas aur sasur kaun hote hain?
- Saas (सास) is the mother-in-law and Sasur (ससुर) is the father-in-law — the same words apply whether you are the husband or the wife.