Bargarh: According to Hindu tradition, the last rites of a person are always performed by a male member of a family. And as multiple movies testify, this obligation is reserved for the son in traditional Hindu families. Parents pray for a son because they think he will support them in their old age and perform their last rites.
But they broke the conventions and who is ‘they’?
On the occasion of auspicious International Women’s Day, women members of a social outfit in Bargarh district performed the last rites of a person as none came forward to render help. These women have broken into a male bastion and proved that a woman can do anything that a man can.
Laxman Kuanr was a resident of Burla in the district. He was a daily-labourer. He along with his wife Ganga, has three daughters—Nisha, Manisha and Rashi.
Laxman was hospitalised in Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Science and Research (VIMSAR) at Burla March 2 following a road accident. He died Saturday while undergoing treatment in the hospital.
After the post-mortem, the hospital authority handed over his body to the bereaved family members Saturday night. The family members with the body reached their village Sunday.
Though the neighbours came to help the family to perform last rites but no one was ready to light the funeral pyre.
Meanwhile, members of the nearest NGO were ready to perform the cremation rituals. “The relatives expressed resentment on the issue that Laxman’s elder daughter will turn pall-bearer for her deceased father. After discussions on the issue, the relatives finally agreed. So Laxman’s elder daughter turned pall-bearer of her deceased father”, said a member of the NGO.
Eyes of bystanders and passersby turned moist when they saw the women bearing the pyre of Laxman and perform his last rites. At the cremation ground, the eldest daughter Manisha performed the last rites of her father.c
PNN