In Uttar Pradesh, a man turned the concept of ‘baraat’ on its head by holding a ceremonial procession to welcome his divorced daughter back home. ‘baraat’ is traditionally the procession of the groom to the bride’s house for the wedding. Divorce remains taboo in India and often not widely accepted, but a family in Meerut decided to mark their daughter’s divorce with celebration rather than silence.
‘I love my daughter’
Retired judge Gyanendra Kumar Sharma celebrated the return of his only daughter Pranity Vashistha with drums, garlands and sweets. Family members dressed in black “I Love My Daughter” t-shirts.
Vashistha faced mental, physical and emotional suffering in her matrimonial home, news agency PTI reported.
Despite the birth of a son, the situation did not improve, prompting Pranita to file for divorce in the Meerut family court.
“If my daughter is not happy in her marriage, it is my duty to get her out of that environment.”
According to her legal representative, Rajeev Giri and Naseeb Saifi, Pranita got married to an army major from Shahjahanpur on 19 December 2018.
She got a divorce on Saturday, and soon after the court’s decision, the family made it a celebration.
As Pranita came out of the court complex, her relatives celebrated with a drum dance and escorted her home in a lively procession.
“If my daughter is not happy in her marriage, it’s my duty to get her out of that environment. We didn’t seek alimony or anything
. I just brought my daughter back,” Dr Sharma told PTI.
He stressed that daughters should not be treated as property, adding that their happiness and dignity must take precedence over societal pressures.
Pranita, who has a post-graduate degree in psychology, works as the finance director at Pranav Vashistha Judicial Academy in Tejgarhi. She is the only child of her parents after the death of her brother Pranav Vashistha in a road accident in Chandigarh in 2022.
Talking about her experience, Pranita said that she became mentally fragile during her marriage, but her family’s constant support helped her regain strength and move forward.
She also encouraged women facing abuse to speak out. “Stand up for yourself. Be strong, educate yourself and be independent before you think about marriage,” she said.
Residents of the area believe the family’s actions can help break long-standing taboos surrounding divorce and promote a more compassionate approach to women seeking dignity and independence.
(With inputs from news agency PTI)
