Two villages in Haryana’s Bhiwani district are preparing to re-establish familial and social ties after more than a century of animosity forced by tradition.
The pre-dominantly Brahmin residents of Jhuppa Kalan have called a “historic panchayat meeting” on August 29 to finally scrap the customary rules preventing them from serving food or water to the people of neighbouring Barwas, also a Brahmin village.
Forbidden by the tradition born out of an unsavoury incident that took place 125 years ago, more than three generations of residents from the two villages have been treating each other like “untouchables.”
According to the story, a purohit of Jhuppa Kalan was abducted by an envious young Brahmin of Barwas and kept without food or water till a kindly passer by rescued him. Hurt by the incident the purohits of Juppa Kalan have ever since maintained a strict boycott of their neighbours.
“Our people do travel to Barwas and perform necessary rituals, including last rites as per Hindu religion, but we cannot accept or offer those people food and water,” said a resident of Jhuppa Kalan. “This has been an unwritten code passed through the generations. No one has ever dared to question the diktat,” said Satpal a young Brahmin.
But now the unavailability of any purohit from Jhuppa Kalan to perform the last rites of an old woman of Barwas has shaken the villagers from the inertia of tradition. “Times have changed. We cannot continue punishing people for their ancestors’ sins,” said an elder of Jhuppa Kalan.