Ujjain family performs symbolic funeral of daughter alive over love marriage

A shocking case has emerged from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, where a family carried out a symbolic funeral of their daughter even though she is alive. The incident is said to have taken place in July, and a video of it is now going viral on social media.

The incident took place in the Narsingh Mandir area of Khachrod town. The family took this extreme step over the daughter's love marriage. The girl had married a boy from another caste without her family's consent, which left the family deeply angry. The family tried several times to reason with her, but she stood firm on her decision and did not listen to anyone.

It is claimed that when the matter reached the police station, the girl clearly refused to identify her parents and brother there. This is said to have been the reason for the family's anger, which they expressed through her symbolic funeral.

In the presence of the community and relatives, the family took this difficult decision. They placed a photo of the daughter in the courtyard of the house and performed a ritual called "gorni". The photo was then set on fire. The family carried out all the rites that are usually performed after a person's death. Family members present on the occasion said they had raised their daughter with great love and affection, but after this step, she was as good as dead to them even while she was alive.

The question now is what the gorni tradition is. According to available information, gorni is a symbolic social ritual practised in some communities. Under this tradition, a member who marries against the family's wishes is considered dead, and a funeral is performed for them while they are still alive. However, such social rituals have no legal or constitutional recognition, even though the incident is being widely discussed at present.