Breaking Patriarchal Beliefs, Daughters Perform Last Rites At CDS General Bipin Rawat’s Cremation
General Bipin Rawat became India’s first Chief of Defence Staff in the year 2019. He was also appointed as head of the new Department of Military Affairs. Sadly, we lost General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat in a crash with 11 others. Today, they both were cremated with full military honours. The cremation was performed by their daughters, Kritika and Tarini.
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It was quite an unusual sight to see the daughters of General Bipin Rawat lighting the pyre. The major reason for this is because in Hinduism, women are not allowed to light the funeral pyre and neither are they allowed to enter the crematorium. However, as the times are changing, women are breaking these stereotypes and shattering the age-old patriarchal beliefs.
There are certain unwritten rules that we have to follow blindly. Some rules are quite understandable but people’s apprehension toward daughters performing the last rites of their own parents does not make any sense to me. The act of seeing the last physical trace of your loved one engulfed in the fire is difficult but also essential, to realise that they will never see them in the physical realm anymore.
Also Read: Mandira Bedi Is Being Brutally Trolled For Performing Her Husband’s Last Rites And Not Wearing A Traditional Outfit At His Funeral
While many think that only the eldest son or a man should perform the final rites of their parents, a lot of people believe that a woman can also light the pyre. Brigadier L.S. Lidder, who lost his life along with CDS General Bipin Rawat in the helicopter crash in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu was cremated at Brar Square in Delhi Cantt. Similarly, Brigadier Lidder’s last rites were performed by his daughter Aashna Lidder.
Although we are glad that people’s mentality is changing about women performing the final rites, we also believe that there is still more to achieve.
