A three-year-old girl suffering from a terminal brain tumour died after her parents introduced her to Santhara voluntary death through fasting, a Jain ritual courting public outrage and legal controversy, particularly because of the child’s age.
The event, which occurred on March 21 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, recently came into the limelight when the Golden Book of World Records issued a certificate stating that the child, Viyana Jain, was the “youngest person in the world to take the vow of the Jain ritual Santhara.”
Her parents, Piyush (35) and Varsha Jain (32), both IT professionals, said they took the decision at the behest of Jain monk Rajesh Muni Maharaj. “Maharaj ji observed the condition of my daughter and told us that the girl’s time is almost up and she must be administered the Santhara vow,” said Piyush. “The fast is very important in Jainism. The more we thought about it, the more we agreed.”
The Ritual and the Timeline
Santhara or Sallekhana or Samadhi Maran is a spiritual practice among Jainists in which a person voluntarily abstains from food and water to spiritually cleanse the soul before death. The Supreme Court upheld the legality of this ritual in 2015, after a Rajasthan High Court ban, but the ritual itself has always been controversial and particularly when it is practiced by children.
The parents stated that Viyana had been diagnosed with a tumour in her brain in December and had been operated upon in January in Mumbai. Her health improved after the surgery, but in March she again fell ill. Once the medical avenue was closed, the family went the spiritual way. “We were seeing her in pain. It was a very agonising choice. I wish my daughter to be joyful in her subsequent birth,” Varsha, weeping, said.
The Santhara ritual was commenced at 9:25 pm on March 21 at Indore monk ashram. Viyana succumbed to it at 10:05 pm, only 40 minutes since the initiation ceremony had started.
Legal and Medical Community Object
Health activists and medical workers have criticized the act, raised questions about its legality and the ethics of undergoing such a ceremony on a toddler who could hardly give consent to anything.
This is a religious ritual intended for fully aware adults, usually the elderly,” said Omkar Singh, a member of the Madhya Pradesh Child Rights Commission. “The toddler could not have possibly agreed. We are looking into whether this amounts to a violation of child protection laws and will proceed accordingly.
Medical experts were also critical. “She ought to have been in a hospital getting palliative care,” said a senior physician who was aware of the case. “Santhara is a huge physical and psychological ordeal even for an adult. A toddler cannot understand or endure such an act.”
Legal Grey Areas and Public Outcry
Retired high court judge Abhay Jain Gohil recognized the intricacies of the case. “Hundreds of adults take the Santhara vow every year. It is legal. But this was a child. If the girl was already dying, it might be difficult to prosecute, but it still poses serious moral and legal issues.”
At the same time, the Golden Book of World Records was criticized for issuing a certificate to the event. The honor was labeled “deeply irresponsible” by its critics and accused of condoning a non-consensual ritual on a child.
The Madhya Pradesh Child Rights Commission has indicated that it was considering the matter and would shortly decide whether to recommend legal action against the parents or the guru.
