[mani]

*LOL*

in india it does happen quite alot - though its always in the hindu community. thats cuz they believe in reincarnation. and occasionally they believe the spirit of a past partner has been born into a goat or something...

then there's still always the sacrificial marriages such as the one above... u have to understand the concept that hinduism is a very pagan religion in the sense they have a god for the sun god of death etc... and there are whole villages who are perhaps aimed at one god and as such have a head priest who decides as such to please the gods...

thankfully they havent resorted to burnin witches at the stake just yet *L*

as for how often - often enough - i'm sure there's many cases that dont get the publicity...