A Muslim man who was denied permission to perform his hindu wife's final rites at a temple, finally performed her Shradh. Last week, a Delhi temple had denied Imtiazur Rahman permission to perform the funeral rituals of his dead Hindu wife.
He was finally been able to have the ceremony with the help of a Bengali philanthropic cultural society in Delhi, as per reports. The philanthropic society, founded in 1973, rents its premises for social functions.
Denied permission for being Muslim
People associated with Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Memorial Society in Delhi said that Rahman, his daughter, family and friends attended the ceremony on August 12.
The family was given a room on the society premises and his daughter, Ihini Ambreen, performed the ceremony. A person present at the ceremony told IANS that everyone was disappointed to learn Rahman was refused permission by Kali temple society.
Rahman and his family is based in Kolkata. Last week, he lost his wife, Nivedita Ghatak, in the capital due to multi-organ failure. The couple had married 20 years ago in accordance with the Special Marriage Act that allows inter-faith weddings of couples, irrespective of their individual faith.
Nivedita was cremated as per Hindu rites at Delhi's Nigam Bodh Ghat but the family could not perform shradh. Rahman had booked an August 12 a slot at Kali Mandir Society in Chittaranjan Park after paying Rs. 1,300. However, he was later told by the temple society that the booking was cancelled "for obvious reasons"
Ashitava Bhowmik, president of the temple society, told IANS that the woman could not be considered a Hindu after her marriage to a Muslim. According to him, "that's because because a woman adopts the surname and belief system of her in-laws and becomes a part of that society".
Earlier, Bhowmik also claimed that the man may have an ulterior motive – like “bringing 50-100 of his relatives inside the temple and praying namaaz”. “Why insist on a temple in Delhi ? Why doesn’t he do it at his home in Kolkata?” Bhowmik asked.
It's a matter of shame that even today, such mindsets carrying a religion divide are running holy places and institutions.
Also: Shattering Stereotypes, Women Perform Last Rites In Varanasi
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