At a time when communal tensions are plaguing the country, an act of kindness goes a long way. When the relatives of a 52-year-old Hindu woman did not come forth to perform her last rites, following her death on Saturday, 16 June, her Muslim neighbours stepped up to give her a proper funeral.
The woman in question, Bhavani, a resident of Janaswati Colony, at Vidyapura in Puttur had suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away on Saturday, around 8 am, reported The News Minute.
Bhavani’s cousin, Krishna, who she lived with, alleged that despite him informing her paternal cousins and other relatives, who lived barely a few kilometres away, the family members refused to attend the cremation.
The report further mentions that though the area was famous for right-wing activism, yet none of the 160 families staying there attended her funeral.
Krishna told The News Minute that Bhavani’s relatives were more economically sound that she was and perhaps that’s why they were embarrassed to attend the ceremony. Bhavani had been working as a beedi roller at a private company in Puttur for about 45 years.
She was not married, she has been living with us for over a year now. We knew they were not on talking terms with her, but we don’t know the exact reason behind it.Krishna told The News Minute
Since her relatives refused to attend, Bhavani’s body was at home till 1.30 pm on Saturday, over five hours after she had passed away.
Seeing Krishna’s desperation, a local resident Farooq, along with his friends Shaukath, Hamza, Nazeer and Riyaz, decided to help him.
The Muslim neighbours all pooled in about Rs 5,000 and ferried the body to the cremation ground. Several women, including the local anganwadi teacher Rajeshwari, Safia, Zubaida and a few others also helped bathe the deceased before cremation, as per Hindu culture.
Speaking about how they could not allow the deceased to be disrespected in their own home and town, The News Minute quoted Farooq as saying: “Irrespective of what differences the relatives had with Bhavani, they should have seen her off one last time. It is their loss.”
(With inputs from The News Minute)
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