West Bengal family conducts daughter’s last rites after interfaith marriage

In a dramatic display of disapproval, a family in West Bengal’s Krishnaganj district held symbolic last rites for their daughter after she married a Muslim man, defying their wishes.

According to her relatives, the woman had first left home to marry the man of her choice. Although her family initially brought her back by force, she left again and went on to marry him. This final act led her family to sever all ties with her.

Her family claimed they had arranged her marriage with a man from their own community, but she had rejected the proposal. Following her decision to marry outside her religion, the family chose to perform shraddh—a Hindu ritual usually reserved for deceased loved ones—twelve days after her second departure and marriage.

As part of the symbolic mourning, the family burned her clothes, books, and personal documents. The male members also shaved their heads, following traditional rites, and a ritual meal was held with participation from relatives and neighbors.

While the woman’s father, who currently resides in Israel, is said to have accepted her decision, her mother remained opposed to the marriage and claimed that her daughter's actions had brought shame upon the family.