- Santhara or sallekhana, is the Jain custom of embracing voluntary death at the end of one’s life.
- Those adopting Santhara are not people who are unhappy but those who are satisfied and have lived a full life.
- According to Jain religious text, ‘Santhara is permitted among the old and those afflicted with an incurable disease.’
Through the tiny crack in the door, he witnessed a scene that left an indelible imprint on his child mind. He was just seven years old. His 95-year-old great-grandmother lay on the bed. His parents and grandparents stood around her. They controlled their tears and chanted their prayers. He could hear the rustle of the hymn books. His great-grandmother had undertaken santhara — starvation until death. This was the road to spiritual salvation, according to the Jain faith.
Abhijay Sethia, a Wharton graduate, is now 26 years old. The Rajasthan High Court ruling banning the centuries-old Jain practice, has brought back a flood of memories. As a child he could not understand why his great-grandmother wanted to leave them. “My mother explained she was not leaving us. She was not killing herself. She wanted to embrace a new world. She waited for death to welcome her. The sounds reverberated for a long time in my ears as the singing and sobbing combined. There was silence, followed by a cry. Seventeen days later dadisa, as we called her, had fulfilled her mission,” he reminisces.
She had peacefully attained moksh or salvation.
Santhara or sallekhana, is the Jain custom of embracing voluntary death at the end of one’s life. Sallekhana is made up of two words sal which means ‘properly’ and lekhana, which means ‘to thin out’. Properly thinning out of the passions and the body is ‘sallekhana’. It is prescribed not just for ascetics but for householders too.
Abhijay says, “I don’t agree with the judgement. It works on the premise that santhara is a form of suicide. Santhara cannot be equated with suicide. Suicide is essentially an act of despair. Besides, the average age of those who embrace santhara is 90 plus, whereas the average age of suicides would be below 50.”
Those adopting Santhara are not people who are unhappy but those who are satisfied and have lived a full life. Santhara is not an easy practice. It requires tremendous fortitude.
Judgment Sparks Debate
The Jain community is divided into primarily two sects. The Swetambaras and the Digambaras. Santhara is prevalent among both. There are no definite statistics but it is believed that hundreds embrace Santhara each year.
Interestingly, the judgement banning santhara has not just divided this peace-loving, business community into two groups but each family too has dissenting views on the subject.
A Jain housewife, who prefers to remain anonymous, says she welcomes the ban, “My parents and in laws are very traditional. They follow our religious texts. But I am opposed to santhara. I see it as a social evil though my community sees it as the best form of death and a truly noble end. While some feel it should not be seen as euthanasia, it certainly is close. I have seen innumerable terminally ill patients being made to adopt santhara.”
According to Jain religious text, ‘Santhara is permitted among the old and those afflicted with an incurable disease.’
Businessman Pramod Dugar does not approve of the way santhara is virtually celebrated and glorifies death. “Outdated texts have to be given a fresh look. There is a need for a uniform civil code which is the same for all faiths.”
While the judgement has sparked a heated debate on this emotive issue, there is complete agreement on the fact that the Jain community will appeal. Even those who support the judgement are certain that staunch religious leaders will not accept the ban. Should the courts dismiss an age-old practice? Does the law have the right to interfere in matters of deep faith and personal choice?
(Payal Mohanka is a Kolkata-based senior journalist.)
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