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Men Perform Symbolic Last Rites Amid Matrimonial Disputes
Nearly 40 men took part in a ceremony at Banganga Tank in Mumbai.
They said it was a way to mark the end of relationships affected by long disputes and legal cases.
The ceremony happened during Pitru Paksha, a time when Hindus remember deceased relatives.
The Vaastav Foundation organizes the ritual each year.
Its founder says the ceremony can help men move forward after emotional pain.
The foundation also wants some laws to apply equally to all genders.
A lawyer quoted in the article agrees that gender-neutral laws are needed.
She also says women have historically faced domestic violence and that abuse should be dealt with firmly.
The debate includes differing views about how matrimonial and domestic violence laws are used.
Nearly 40 men gathered at Mumbai’s Banganga Tank on Sunday to perform symbolic last rites for estranged relationships.
The annual ceremony, held during Pitru Paksha, was described by the Vaastav Foundation as a therapeutic exercise for men facing prolonged matrimonial disputes.
Foundation founder Amit Deshpande said the ritual is intended to help participants let go of trauma and mark a formal end to a religious vow.
The foundation is seeking gender-neutral laws, including changes to provisions on cruelty and the Domestic Violence Act.
Men’s rights groups’ claims about misuse of laws are disputed; lawyer Mrunalini Deshmukh supports gender-neutral laws while stressing that domestic violence against women remains a serious issue.
- Who
- Nearly 40 men, with rituals led by a participant trained as a Hindu priest; the event was described by Amit Deshpande of the Vaastav Foundation.
- What
- A symbolic ceremony marking the end of estranged relationships amid prolonged matrimonial disputes.
- Where
- Banganga Tank, Walkeshwar, Mumbai.
- When
- Sunday afternoon during Pitru Paksha; the article does not give a calendar date.
- Why
- The organizers say the ritual offers emotional closure and draws attention to difficulties men face during broken marriages and lengthy legal proceedings.
Men’s rights advocates
Women’s rights concerns
Gender-neutral laws
Men’s rights advocates
The Vaastav Foundation seeks gender-neutral laws and changes to provisions addressing cruelty, domestic violence, and workplace sexual harassment.
Women’s rights concerns
The article says women’s rights groups emphasize that women continue to face disproportionate levels of domestic violence.
Use of matrimonial laws
Men’s rights advocates
The foundation raises concerns about alleged misuse of matrimonial and domestic violence laws.
Women’s rights concerns
Mrunalini Deshmukh says domestic violence against women is historically established and unacceptable, while noting that genuine cases often do not reach court. She also says false complaints, when established, should involve accountability.
Key facts
- Participants
- Nearly 40 men
- Location
- Banganga Tank, Walkeshwar, Mumbai
- Timing
- Sunday afternoon during Pitru Paksha
- Ritual name
- Natyamcha Pindan, as described by Amit Deshpande
- Organizer
- The Vaastav Foundation
- Legal provisions raised
- Sections 85 and 86 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005
- Lawyer quoted
- Mrunalini Deshmukh
Quotes
Mrunalini Deshmukh
Senior matrimonial lawyer
“The number of cases which are filed on the wrong advice of lawyers is large and while genuine cases need to be dealt with firmly by the police and courts, it is largely the privileged classes that use the law. Cases are settled out of court for money or are not proved.”
freepressjournal.in
“While marriage and divorce are legal events, there is a certain ambiguity associated with Hindu marriage rites. Hindu scriptures do not mention divorce and these rituals represent a formal end to a religious vow.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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