3-year old with brain tumour dies as parents make her fast-unto-death in Jain ritual
PTC News Desk: In a shocking incident, a three year old girl suffering from brain tumor died after her parents made her fast unto death as part of the Jain religious practice as advised by a spiritual leader in Madhya Pradesh's Indore.
The girl, Viyana Jain, who was their only child, breathed her last on March 21, her parents said. Santhara, also known as Sallekhana, is a Jain ritual of voluntarily fasting unto death. According to the practice, a person gradually reduces food and water consumption until 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 world.
According to her parents, the Golden Book of World Records has recognized and awarded a certificate to Viyana for being "the youngest person in the world to undertake the Jain ritual of Santhara."
Both parents, who are Information Technology (IT) professionals, said they chose to have their daughter take the Santhara vow based on the guidance of a Jain monk.
The girl's father, Piyush Jain, shared, "My daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumour in January this year. She had surgery, and her condition initially improved. However, by March, her health worsened, and she began experiencing difficulty in eating and drinking."
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."
- With inputs from agencies
