Mandsaur (Madhya Pradesh): Members of Namdev Chhipa community made a historic beginning by changing the long-standing tradition under which only a male member could be designated as family head, by giving this honour to a woman.
Namdev Chhipa Mahasabha state vice president Rajesh Namdev said that after Rupesh Bagherwal passed away on July 12 due to a heart attack, his only daughter, an international martial arts (karate) player, Srishti (Anjali), was made to wear a panchayat turban by community members on the thirteenth day, marking equality between sons and daughters.
In Hindu tradition, the turban (pagri) ritual is performed after the death of the eldest male member of a family. It signifies the transfer of responsibility and honour to the next eldest male member of the family, often the eldest son.
A turban (pagri) is tied on the head of the successor, symbolising his new role as the head of the family and the inheritor of his predecessor's legacy.
The community's action exemplified the beginning of giving females the role of leading the family, something which is rarely observed in the current patriarchal society.
Namdev Chhipa Samaj, Mandsaur president Ashok Bagherwal, former president Rajesh Namdev and others marked the beginning of awareness in society. The practice of distributing clothes and utensils has also been completely stopped by the community.
Srishti's mother, grandfather Dinesh Bagherwal, maternal uncle Chandrashekhar Ujjainia and other family members expressed their gratitude towards the community for the historic step.
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