Navsari Parsi woman cremated with Hindu rituals after communities refused
India
A 55-year-old Parsi woman in Navsari, Gujarat, was cremated with Hindu rituals after both the Parsi and Muslim communities declined to perform her last rites.
She had married a retired Muslim professor and continued practicing Zoroastrianism, but was distanced from her community due to her interfaith marriage.
When she died after a brief illness, her family struggled to find support for her funeral.
Sajan Bharwad arranged cremation
With no help from either side, the woman's cousin reached out to Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Sajan Bharwad.
Calling it a pious duty, Bharwad arranged for her cremation at a local crematorium.
Relatives from both families attended the ceremony and her husband received her ashes, showing that sometimes compassion comes from unexpected places.