Is a Woman expected to have One Religion Per Husband?

Goolrookh Gupta is just a woman who married the man she loved. But people saw that, as a Parsi marrying a Marwari, that is, a Non-Parsi. And soon enough, her faith was questioned, by the Parsi Anjuman of Valsad in Gujarat.

The organization, Valsad Parsi Anjuman Trust Fund, like many others, denies entry to women that choose to marry outside their community, a rule that is not extended to the men of their community who have done the same. They put into effect this rule in 2004, back when a new management assumed the reins.

The Parsis, known to be a closely-knit community, have always had stringent rules surrounding entry to an ‘Agyaari’, or their ‘Fire Temple’ for people who belong to different faiths and religions. This community has been steadfastly diminishing in number, due to Diaspora and disqualification of members who marry outside the community, which may explain the measure they are taking to encourage their patrons to mingle within the community to further it.

And this is not sitting very well with Goolrookh Gupta, who has lived with her family in Valsad and been a part of the community all her life. She told DNA, "Till 2003, they were fine. With a change in management, they suddenly decided to not allow women.”

She has also filed a PIL seeking the Anjuman to repeal this rule, especially considering that not all Anjumans have such mandates. In Karachi, they recently started allowing children of inter-faith marriages to enter their fire temple. Her PIL is not in the Supreme Court though, and has been posted for hearing several times on different but is yet to be heard.

Goolrookh’s argument is simple- why is she made to change her faith, just because she is a woman, and how often and how many times must a woman keep changing her religion and faith? "It is a question that keeps nagging me. If tomorrow a woman marries and does not get along with her husband and has to remarry someone who belongs to some third faith, is she supposed to keep changing her faith as per her husband's? Why should a woman alone do that?" asked Gupta in the  DNA article.

Goolrookh, who lives in Mahalaxmi with her family now, points out, “Our constitution says a person is allowed to profess and preach (his/her) own religion, but here, we are not allowed to follow it. The prime minister talks of women empowerment but look at us," said the 49-year-old,

President and managing trustee of the Valsad Parsi Anjuman Trust Funds Sam Chotia said, "The resolution was passed in 2001 in a general body, not in 2004. A board of trust cannot act contrary to what the general body has passed. We did that as per our customs, traditions and advice from the high priests. It was also the wish of the settler (one who donated the fire temple) to not allow trespassers."

Original Source: DNA

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