A Gujarati woman has begun the ritual of ‘Santhara’. Kanchan Devi Baid, an 82-year-old Jain woman, has decided to embrace death by opting for ”Santhara”. Baid began fasting on May 11.
Santhara is a Jaina practice of voluntary fasting in which a person stops the intake of food and water until death. This practice is called “a festival of death” by the members of the Jain community. “Santhara” in Jainism is a means of destroying rebirth-influencing karma by withdrawing all physical and mental activities.
Baid’s brother Deepchand Sankhla said two of his elder siblings had also observed “Santhara”.
The ancient ritual of Santhara, also called Sallekhana, consists of voluntary starvation to embrace death. The Swetambar (white sect) community, which practises the ritual, considers it the ultimate way to attain moksha (release from the cycle of rebirth), when one believes his or her life has served its purpose. Practised mostly by elders nearing death or having no desire to live any more, this ritual demands the practitioner to even give up drinking water; it is never advisable for young adults or children.
On average, 240 Jains practise sallekhana until death each year in India.
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