DOTW: Is Natha Pratha Okay in Any Circumstance? - Page 2

Originally posted by: Missesha

What if Phooli gave birth to a girl child?

As per the track , Bharat's family wanted a vaaris and a vaaris as per old customs will always be a male child, as girls are married off to another to another family.

 

So back to point, what if Phooli produced a girl child, would they consider her as vaaris or would they ask phooli to keep producing till they got a boy? Also, would that mean they would keep first wife's existence in Disguise for all those years, till a boy child is born?

 

Originally posted by: Illyria

<div align="center"><font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"><font size="2">Hi Guys

So this issue of Natha Pratha is generating a lot of discussion on the forum and to make everything easier to read and comment on i thought of creating a singular thread to have this discussion on.


</font></font>

• <font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"><font size="2">So what are your views on Natha Pratha?</font></font>

• <font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"><font size="2">If Natha Pratha is accepted by both families, is this still a just custom to follow?</font></font>

• <font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"><font size="2">Also if its accepted by both famililes, does the mother then still have rights?</font></font>

• <font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"><font size="2">What does be done about Natha Pratha?</font></font>

• <font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"><font size="2">What repurcussions should there be about people following this?</font></font>

• <font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"><font size="2">What should happen in the base of Phooli?</font></font>

<font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif"><font size="2">

Do leave your comments and lets have a constructive discussion about this, please no bashing or use of foul language

Juleka
</font></font></div><div align="center">
</div>

hello dear i am also reident in rajsthan and used to with the customs wich r prevailing till now. In my opinion if u want to give justice to a widow or women left over by husband they shud be properly married with hindu customs. Why naata prath is generated becoz there is strong belief in our society that a woman takes saat pheras in her whole life with one person only. Either she have to sit as widow whole life like that of rajput ladies. Here i have to mention that naata pratha is not followed in upper casts like brahmins, rajputs etc. It is most prevailing in lower casts like OBC,SC,ST. I will discuss it more in my further posts.

Most of these laws are tribal laws which were created to suit specific needs at certain times.For example sati system(Widow burning) and Johar vrat(self immolation by queens during wars) were started during the middles ages when there foreign attacks and lot of wars were going on...The queens used to commit suicide when the king was defeated to save themselves from the attackers and sati system started because widows faced social and financial prob after their husband died...they were both evil customs but at tht time people thought these were best solutions for them...I guess  natha also originated at the same time because of too many widows due to wars...so for those times these laws were useful but now these laws are defunct so i dont think its ok in any situation. Phool's case is pure cheating by her in laws.They have just used naatha as an execuse. Had there not been any naata custom they would hav still got phooli married to bharath and throw her out once she produced a child.

Edited by niharika_n - 12 years ago

@sar naksh I read Ur post on the other thread and thanks for explaining it and applying it.

Ya i agree with al of you this custom is not more then prostitution in today's society. I have heard about many girls who had 8-9 naatas repeatedly. And have to leave her children at that husband's house only. Now mentalilty is that 'KAAM KHATAM TO BHEJ DO CHORI NE DUJE NAATE PE'.

If society really wants to make widow's life better then widow remarriage is best option then naata.

Nath Pratha is sinister and a crime. You cannot use a women as a commodity and throw her out as if she is a paper-cup...

I strongly believe that even in surrogacy, the women who bears the child is hard done by...

If you can't have a kid there are other techniques like a "test-tube" baby and maybe others which i don't know...

My take is the woman here also is not treated with respect due to her but more in terms of a thing that u can easily dispose off...My heart bleeds for Phooli and the lil baby...The lil baby is not even weaned and they separated Mum and child...Phooli was just a rented womb for Bharat and his family😡🤢...Widow remarriage is another thing but this ritual in my POV degrades the dignity of woman

I do not agree with the 'naata' custom as portrayed or practised.  I see it as a modern day surrogation.  As long as both parties make informed decision and agree to it I do not see anything wrong with it.  Also I should add that mother should be compensated for it, adequately.  This also raises  several questions.  What happens if a girl is born?  Or even if it's a boy and is handicapped?  Handicapp may be physical or mental.  Here in this case, Phooli's family has been taken advantage off because of their poor economic condition.