Latest news with #Viyana
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Business Standard
05-05-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
3-yr-old terminally ill girl made to 'fast unto death' by parents in Indore
A three-year-old girl from Madhya Pradesh's Indore, diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour, was reportedly placed under 'Santhara', a Jain religious practice involving voluntary fasting unto death, NDTV reported. The child, Viyana Jain, daughter of IT professionals Piyush and Varsha Jain, was diagnosed in December 2024 and underwent treatment, including surgery, in Mumbai. According to the family, her condition worsened despite medical intervention. On March 21, 2025, during a visit to spiritual leader Rajesh Muni Maharaj in Indore, the family administered Santhara to the child. Her mother, Varsha Jain, said, 'Gurudev inspired us and explained everything. With our consent, the 'Santhara' was done, and 10 minutes later, Viyana died.' Her father, Piyush Jain said, 'We didn't go with the intent of getting her 'Santhara' done, but Guruji said her condition was serious and suggested it. Everyone in the family agreed.' The incident became public after Viyana was listed in the Golden Book of World Records as the youngest person to take the vow of Santhara. Legal and constitutional concerns Legal experts, however, raised serious concerns. Supreme Court advocate Ritesh Agarwal told NDTV, 'The decision of life and death of a minor is not even with the parents. This raises a serious legal and constitutional question: Can 'Santhara' be administered in the case of a minor who cannot legally or emotionally comprehend death?' 'Article 25 grants freedom of religion, but not above the law. Even religious practices cannot override a minor's legal right to life,' he said. In 2015, the Rajasthan High Court had declared Santhara illegal, equating it to suicide. However, the Supreme Court stayed that decision a month later. No legal precedent currently exists for administering 'Santhara' to minors. Understanding Santhara in Jainism An ancient and solemn rite in Jainism, Santhara involves the gradual renunciation of food and water as a means of embracing death with spiritual awareness and detachment. It is traditionally undertaken by terminally sick people or the elderly, and is seen within the faith as a path to liberation by acceptance and discipline at the end of life, rather than suicide.
Indian Express
04-05-2025
- Indian Express
3-year-old terminally ill girl dies after fasting ritual in Indore, police ‘looking into the matter'
A three-year-old terminally ill girl in Indore died while undergoing a Jain ritual of voluntary fast unto death, called Santhara. The child died on March 21, around 40 minutes after the ritual was completed, but the incident has only recently become widely known. Indore police said they had not been aware of the matter. 'We have no record of this. No one informed the local police station or administration. We are looking into the matter, ' said a senior police officer. Santhara, also known as Sallekhana, is traditionally undertaken by devout Jains at the end of their life as an act of spiritual purification. In 2015, the Rajasthan High Court had declared Santhara illegal, calling it a form of suicide. However, the ruling triggered widespread protests by Jain groups, and a month later, the Supreme Court put a stay on the decision. The child's parents, Varsha and Piyush Jain, both IT professionals, took the decision for their daughter to undertake the ritual following advice from a Jain monk. The couple said they consulted only close family members before taking the decision. 'She was our only child,' Piyush said. 'She came into this world for only three years, four months, and one day. When her brain tumour relapsed after surgery, and her health deteriorated rapidly, we decided to turn to our faith.' The family said they brought Viyana to their spiritual guide on March 21. According to them, the monk assessed her condition and predicted she wouldn't survive the night. After consulting relatives and obtaining their approval, the parents said they proceeded with the ritual, which was carried out with full religious rites and lasted about 30 minutes. Ten minutes later, Viyana died, they said. 'She was a happy, energetic child,' said her father. 'We raised her with Jain values from the start — visiting the cow shelter, feeding birds, praying, and observing religious rituals.' Following the ceremony, the parents also claimed that it was recognised by the Golden Book of World Records as the youngest recorded case of Santhara globally.
Hindustan Times
04-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Row after 3-year-old sick girl made to 'fast unto death' by parents in MP
A three-year-old girl suffering from a terminal brain tumour died after her parents initiated her into Santhara, a centuries-old Jain ritual of fasting unto death, sparking outrage and renewed scrutiny over the practice - especially in the context of minors. The incident occurred on March 21 in Indore but drew attention this week after the Golden Book of World Records issued a certificate declaring the child, Viyana Jain, the "youngest person in the world to vow the Jain ritual Santhara." Her parents, Piyush Jain (35) and Varsha Jain (32), both IT professionals, said they acted on the advice of a spiritual leader, Jain monk Rajesh Muni Maharaj. Santhara, also known as Sallekhana or Samadhi Maran, is a religious vow of voluntary death by gradually renouncing food and water, seen in Jainism as a way to purify the soul. Though upheld by the Supreme Court in 2015 after a Rajasthan High Court ruling had declared it a form of suicide, the legality and ethics of involving minors remain in murky territory. According to the parents, Viyana had been diagnosed with a brain tumour in December last year. After undergoing surgery in Mumbai in January, her condition briefly improved before deteriorating again in March. On March 21, after medical attempts to stabilize her failed, the family turned to spiritual intervention. 'Maharaj ji saw my daughter's condition and told us that the girl's end is near and she should be given the Santhara vow,' Piyush Jain said. 'This fast holds a lot of significance in Jainism. After thinking about it, we finally agreed.' Viyana's mother said their daughter had been unable to eat or drink for several days prior. 'We were watching her suffer. It was a very painful decision. I want my daughter to be happy in her next birth,' she said tearfully. The ceremony began at 9. 25 pm on March 21 at the monk's ashram in Indore. Viyana died at 10.05 pm, just 40 minutes after the initiation began. While the parents described the ritual as a spiritual farewell, child rights advocates and medical professionals have raised serious concerns. 'This is a religious practice meant for fully conscious adults, typically the elderly,' said Omkar Singh, a member of the Madhya Pradesh Child Rights Commission. 'The toddler could not have possibly consented. We are examining whether this constitutes a violation of child protection laws and will act accordingly.' Medical experts have also criticized the decision. 'She should have been in a hospital receiving palliative care,' said a senior doctor familiar with the case. 'The child was already in critical condition. Santhara is an enormous physical and psychological ordeal even for an adult. A toddler cannot comprehend or withstand such an act.' Retired high court judge Abhay Jain Gohil acknowledged the complexity of the case. 'Every year hundreds of adults take the Santhara vow. It is legal. But this was a minor. If the girl was already dying, it may be hard to prosecute, but it still raises critical moral and legal questions.' The Golden Book of World Records' decision to honor the event with a certificate has also drawn backlash, with critics calling it 'deeply irresponsible' and an endorsement of non-consensual ritual involving children. As the debate intensifies, the Madhya Pradesh Child Rights Commission has said it will soon decide whether to recommend legal action against the parents or the spiritual leader involved.
Hans India
04-05-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Three-Year-Old Dies After Parents Initiate Jain Fasting Ritual Following Brain Tumor Diagnosis
In a heartbreaking case from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, a three-year-old girl named Viyana Jain died on March 21 after her parents initiated her into the controversial Jain religious practice of Santhara—voluntary fasting until death—following advice from a spiritual leader. Viyana, diagnosed with a brain tumor in January, underwent surgery that initially improved her condition. However, when her health deteriorated in March, making eating and drinking difficult, her parents sought guidance from Jain monk Rajesh Muni Maharaj. "Maharaj ji saw my daughter's condition and told us that the girl's end was near and she should be given the Santhara vow," explained Piyush Jain, Viyana's father, who works as an IT professional along with his wife Varsha. "After thinking about it, we finally agreed to go for it." According to the father, Viyana passed away within minutes of completing the religious rituals. The Golden Book of World Records reportedly issued a certificate recognizing Viyana as "the youngest person in the world to vow the Jain ritual Santhara," a distinction her parents have publicly acknowledged. Varsha Jain expressed the emotional weight of their decision: "I cannot describe how difficult the decision was to make my daughter take the Santhara vow. My daughter was suffering a lot due to the brain tumor. It was very painful for me to see her in this condition." Through tears, she added, "I want my daughter to always be happy in her next birth." Santhara, also known as Sallekhana or Samadhi Maran in Jain terminology, involves gradually reducing food and water intake until death as a means of spiritual purification and worldly detachment. The practice remains legally controversial—in 2015, the Rajasthan High Court declared it punishable under sections related to abetment to suicide and attempted suicide, though the Supreme Court later stayed this order after petitions from Jain religious bodies. This case raises profound questions about religious practices, parental authority, and legal protections for children in situations where religious rituals intersect with medical conditions.
India Today
04-05-2025
- Health
- India Today
3-year-old with tumour dies after Jain 'fast unto death' enforced by parents
A three-year-old girl suffering from brain tumour died after her parents initiated her into the Jain religious practice of fasting unto death as advised by a spiritual leader in Madhya Pradesh's girl, Viyana Jain, who was their only child, breathed her last on March 21, her parents also known as Sallekhana, is a Jain ritual of voluntarily fasting unto death. As per this practice, a person gradually reduces his or her intake of food and water until death as a means of achieving spiritual purification and detachment from the According to her parents, the Golden Book of World Records has taken note and issued a certificate in the name of Viyana for being "the youngest person in the world to vow the Jain ritual Santhara".Her parents, who work as Information Technology (IT) professionals, say that they decided to make their daughter take the Santhara vow after being advised by a Jain muni (monk).Talking to PTI on Saturday, Piyush Jain, the girl's father, said, "My daughter was diagnosed with brain tumour in January this year. She underwent a surgery, following which her health improved. But in March, her condition deteriorated and she started facing difficulty in consuming food and drinking."On the night of March 21, he took his seriously ill daughter along with his family members to Jain monk Rajesh Muni Maharaj for ji saw my daughter's condition and told us that the girl's end is near and she should be given the Santhara vow. This fast holds a lot of significance in Jainism. After thinking about it, we finally agreed to go for it," he said that his daughter died within a few minutes of the monk completing the religious rituals of also said the Golden Book of World Records registered his daughter's name and issued a certificate of world record in which her name was mentioned as "the youngest person in the world to vow the Jain ritual Santhara".Her mother Varsha Jain said, "I cannot describe how difficult the decision was to make my daughter take the Santhara vow. My daughter was suffering a lot due to the brain tumour. It was very painful for me to see her in this condition."Remembering Viyana, her mother turned emotional and said, "I want my daughter to always be happy in her next birth."In the religious terminology of the Jain community, Santhara is also called 'Sallekhana' and 'Samadhi Maran'. Under this ancient practice, a person gives up food, water and worldly things to embrace death when he or she feels that the end has debate over Santhara in legal and religious circles intensified in 2015 when the Rajasthan High Court declared the practice a punishable offence under sections 306 (abetment to suicide) and 309 (attempt to suicide) of the Indian Penal the apex court, while hearing petitions filed by various religious bodies of the Jain community, stayed the Rajasthan High Court order.
