Teen Jain girl from Hyderabad dies after fasting for 68 days

NGO says father forced her to fast for luck.

A 13-year-old girl from Hyderabad, Aradhana, died last week after fasting for 68 days as per Jain rituals during the holy period of Chaturmas. The girl’s grandfather, Manekchand Samdariya, said, “Aradhana ended her 68-day fast on October 2. The next day Aradhana was given some liquid food but she showed signs of deteriorating health after which she was kept on short doses of intravenous glucose at home. However, on October 3 midnight she started sweating profusely and we rushed her to a hospital where the doctors tried to resuscitate her but to no avail. She was declared brought dead by the doctors.”

The family of Aradhana had conducted a function after Aradhana’s fast ended for which an advertisement was given in a local vernacular daily hailing the fasting girl as a “Bal Tapasvi” with names of businessmen and religious leaders from the community also mentioned in the advertisement.

Minister for excise and prohibition Padma Rao Goud attended the event as Chief Guest. Other prominent people from the Jain community also attended the function.

Aradhana’s grandfather said, “This was not the first time Aradhana undertook fasting. Last year, she fasted for 34 days and before that for eight days. It was not that she vowed to fast 68 days. After 34 days she was assuring us daily that she can go ahead with the next day.”

Balala Hakkula Sangham, a child rights NGO has written to the commissioner of police, Hyderabad, alleging that Aradhana was forced to undergo fasting by her family members and elders of the Jain community and urged the CP to take action. The NGO has also made an allegation that the jewellery business of Lakshmichand Samdariya, Aradhana’s father was not doing well because of which, upon suggestion by a Jain guru, he forced his daughter to undertake fasting to bring good luck. Anuradha Rao of the NGO said, “Such practices in the name of religion should be stopped and it is the duty of society to condemn such activities.”

However, Aradhana’s grandfather denied the allegations and said, “Aradhana showed interest in becoming a Jain monk at a young age. She was interested to fast for 68 days because there are 68 letters in the Navkar Mahamantra, which holds importance for us like Gayatri Mantra is for Hindus. We are not so poor that we cannot feed ourselves. We did not force her to do fasting but we did not stop her as every day she showed renewed interest to continue fasting.”

Aradhana’s vitals like blood pressure and glucose levels were not being monitored during the 68 days. She was consuming only small quantities of warm water till evening as per Jain customs.

When contacted, Prasan Bhandari, former president of Shri Jain Seva Sangh, said, “Children of Aradhana’s age do undertake fasting for more than eight days.”

Prakash Luniya, trustee of Shri Rajasthan Jain Swetambar Murtipujak Sangh, Secunderabad, says, “While fasting is considered very sacred in Jainism, no one is coerced into undertaking fasting. The girl wanted to fast out of her own conviction and interest, so she was not stopped.”

Market police station inspector M. Mattaiah said that they are looking into the facts to check if the girl was forced to fast. “If that turn out to be true, then a police case will be registered,” he said.