SURAT: Breaking traditional practices, a 38-year-old woman in the city lit the pyre of her mother-in-law and performed the final rites on Saturday.
Hindu rituals traditionally disallow women from entering crematoriums or taking part in the cremation rituals.
But the family of Mavji Savani, founder of L P Savani group of schools, wanted to change the tradition by taking along women from the family to the Umra crematorium for cremation. Savani’s wife Vasantben died at the age of 67 due to prolonged liver ailment. She had even undergone liver transplant around a month ago.
Daughter of the deceased, Bhavna, along with daughter-in-law Purvi took part in the cremation rituals before cremating the body in a gas furnace. “I served her like my own mother for the past many years. Hence, I wanted to take part in her last rites too,” Purvi told TOI later.
Dharmedra Savani, son of Vasantben said, “It was my wife’s wish to cremate my mother as she has been serving her when she was serious for the past several weeks. It was Purvi’s right and all the family members agreed.”
