Women perform last rites in Bihar

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Women perform last rites in Bihar

 

Patna, Sep 19 2007

IANS

 

It was a cultural shock for many when a group of Hindu

women in Bihar 's Nawada district broke an age-old custom

by performing the last rites of an old man.

 

Women members of a family in Mirzapur mohalla decided

to perform the last rites of their old father Ulhas Mahto, who

died two days ago. They took out the funeral procession and

lit the pyre, amid chanting of Vedic hymns Monday.

 

In India , it is always the men who carry the dead in funeral

procession to the cremation or burial ground and perform

the last rites. Hindu women are forbidden to perform last

rites and are widely seen as a discrimination against women.

 

" We decided that the time has now come to initiate a new

beginning by handing over the custom of performing last

rites to women of the family, " Mahto's elder son said. The

three sons and grandsons helped the women in the task.

 

" By allowing our wives, sisters and daughters to perform the

last rites of our grand old man, we have set an example

before the society to get rid of an age old practice, " said

another son.

 

The male members of the family are upbeat that they have

empowered the women to tread the male bastion.

 

Early this year, a Hindu woman, Geetu Avinash in her 50s,

performed the 'shradh ceremony' (ritual performed after a

death) of her husband Avinash Kumar at Ara, about 60 km

from here.

 

Kumar died of cancer July 10 in a Kolkata hospital. Geetu

lit his pyre in Kolkata in the presence of her brothers-in-law,

their sons and other relatives.

http://www.kalingatimes.com/variety/news_20070919-

Bihar.htm