Bara, May 15

A family in Bara’s Subarna Rural Municipality has faced collective boycott by society for practising a different faith and cutting through the existing mourning period that lasts for 13 days according to the standard practice of Hindu culture.

Awadhesh Yadav’s family of Dharampur Tole, Subarna Rural Municipality,  has been displaced from the village

after they adopted Kabir Panth sect and decided to take a short-cut and finish the mourning period after the death of their father in seven days. As per Kabir Panth, the mourning period of a dead person lasts only for seven days.

Awadhesh’s father Anutha had died in hospital on April 28, during treatment. His family carried out his final rites as per their newly-adopted faith the next day.

“We had to face boycott as we didn’t carry out the final rites and observe the mourning as per Hindu tradition,” lamented Awadhesh, adding that the boycott was ruled by a meeting of the leaders of the village.

According to Awadhesh, his family of nine members has been staying in Hetauda in a rented apartment for the past one week or so after leaving the village.

A local Bishram Prasad Yadav of Subarna Rural Municipality said the locals stopped interaction with Awadhesh’s family fearing they would otherwise have to pay fine. “Who would want to pay Rs 30,000 in fine for speaking with the family? That’s why the family had to be displaced finally,” he said.