In response to the question under what circumstances the society finally made up its mind to take such a decision, Kalu Ram says that there were many such incidents in our village when boys aged 20 to 35 died in accidents or due to some disease. Entire money from Jhansi to Gwalior was spent on his treatment. The members of the family broke down, but even after this there was pressure on them that the thirteenth feast should be organized for the society. Many people had to take loans and many had to sell their land. Seeing all these incidents, the society decided that now this practice should be abandoned. Kalu Ram insists that the one who does the thirteenth feast will be punished and ostracized from the society.
signatures of more than 500 families
Bhagwat Prasad, a resident of the village, is among those who started a campaign to end this practice. Bhagwat tells that he has a grocery shop in the village. For a thirteenth feast, people would have saved four to five thousand rupees on the amount of goods they used to buy from them. Despite this, he is a supporter of stopping this practice. So far, signatures of more than five hundred people have been made in this campaign. In the village, efforts are being made to convince even those people of the society, who have not yet agreed with this decision. Bhagwat also claims that people from other societies are also supporting him.Attempt to take the campaign to another village
Retired from government service, Dayaram Verma says that there are four localities in Uldan, in which people of his community live in abundance. Meetings have been held with people in all the mohallas and everyone has supported. There are some people who just don’t agree. We are also trying to connect and convince them with our campaign. Will go to another village and inspire people and ask them to oppose this evil practice. A large number of educated youth are also with us in this campaign. We all have seen the devastation of the families who were forced to sell their lands and take loans.area of discussion
This decision of the people of Ahirwar community of Uldan village to boycott the funeral feast is currently a matter of discussion in the entire Jhansi district including the surrounding area. People are expressing their opinion in favor and against the decision. Amidst all this, the group which has announced the boycott of this practice is very strongly standing by its decision. Jagdish Baba, an elder of the village, says, ‘Land has to be sold for the thirteenth feast. Society is getting ruined. We have stopped all this. Will not let the society be ruined.Report – Laxmi Narayan Sharma
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