3-Year-Old Girl, Suffering From Brain Tumour, Dies After 'Fast Unto Death' Jain Ritual In MP

A three-year-old girl, who was suffering from a brain tumour, died after she was made to follow the Jain religious practice of fasting unto death (called Santhara) by her parents. The girl was advised by a spiritual leader in Madhya Pradesh's Indore to follow the ritual, after which the girl died on March 21, reported PTI. She was the only child of her parents.

The practice of Santhara in Jainism mandates the person to reduce his or her food and water intake until death as a means of achieving spiritual purification and detachment from the world. Her parents, who are both IT professionals, said they decided to make their daughter take the Santhara vow after being advised by a Jain muni (monk).

They added that the Golden Book of World Records has issued a certificate in the name of Viyana, their daughter, for being "the youngest person in the world to vow the Jain ritual Santhara", the report mentioned.

The girl's father, Piyush Jain, old PTI that his daughter was diagnosed with brain tumour in January this year. "She underwent a surgery, following which her health improved. But in March, her condition deteriorated and she started facing difficulty in consuming food and drinking," he added.

On the night of March 21, he took his daughter along with his family members to Jain monk Rajesh Muni Maharaj for darshan. He said, "Maharaj ji saw my daughter's condition and told us that the girl's end is near and she should be given the Santhara vow."

"This fast holds a lot of significance in Jainism. After thinking about it, we finally agreed to go for it," he further said, quoted PTI. Jain said his daughter died within a few minutes after the monk completed the rituals of Santhara.

The girl's mother, Varsha Jain, said, "I cannot describe how difficult the decision was to make my daughter take the Santhara vow. My daughter was suffering a lot due to the brain tumour."

"It was very painful for me to see her in this condition," her mother added. She further said, "I want my daughter to always be happy in her next birth."

The practice of Santhara previously came under the limelight when in 2015, the Rajasthan High Court declared it a punishable offence under sections 306 (abetment to suicide) and 309 (attempt to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code. However, the Supreme Court stayed the order following petitions filed by various religious bodies of the Jain community, the PTI report added.

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