Phoolis dad and naata pratha

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tinoo

@tinoo

Rocker

Posted: 13 years ago

Okay, until now I have not been clear about this naata pratha custom -- what it means and what is different from marriage.

Yesterday, i understood when the old man in the precap said "this is nonsense. everyone knows why a naata is done instead of a marriage -- if the marriage is childless, then the husband establishes a relationship with another woman for a child. case closed. bharat wins."

Okay, so if everyone knows what is the case in the village society -- that naata is only undertaken when a child is required by a childless couple -- then why did phoolis parents agree to it?

I mean surely they understood what the implications were -- phooli not to be blamed -- she is young and i think her social senses are dead because of all the social problems she has gone through because of her young widowhood and other issues.

I understand her dad was desperate to see her settled in some sort of way -- and did not want her hanging around as a young widow -- and it is difficult to get a husband for a widow to begin with -- but still he had to know the implications of what naata meant -- even if bharat and his mother did not declare their surrogacy intentions at the beginning itself.

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Blukitten

@Blukitten

Sparkler

+ 4

Posted: 13 years ago

I am not sure what they r showing is actual natha pratha this is what I found on the internet -

"Natha pratha' is a common custom practised in the local communities of Rajasthan state where if a woman wants a separation, she can approach the panchayat. However, she has to pay a compensation to the other party, following which she can marry another man."

Its something like a divorce alimony given by the wife to get separated.I dont know how Its applicable in phooli's case..Phooli's case is more of devarvatu in tht a widow gets married to her devar.

Edited by niharika_n - 13 years ago

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Monamie

@monamie111

Dazzler

Posted: 13 years ago

Tinoo..i think phooli's family was convinced with what phooli's MIL told them..moreover, bharat was phooli's devar..so they might have thought that phooli will go to the same house..

and the most important thing is money!..bharat's mother gave money to phooli's dad..

as i can remember phooli's family was going through some financial issues then..and phooli was also worried about it..when phooli's dad came to know that his financial crisis will be solved with this..he emotionally black mailed phooli to do the nata.....he didn't even tried to tell his condition to anandi or bhairon..may be it is bcoz earlier he already took some money\help from bhairon..so this time his ego came in between..he prefered forcing his own daughter than getting money from bhairon....forcing phooli by comiting suicide was easier for him!..

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Bdoll

@Bdoll

Explorer

Posted: 13 years ago

Tinoo...as per my knowledge as i browsed on net..natha pratha is not just for child...it is a custom to use either women or men in one or other way. Who ever gives the money buys the other and uses as they like. Its just another form of slaves. But mostly women are victims. In every case t is different but the sold out women always treated very badly.

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Missesha

@Missesha

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 13 years ago

personally, I don't know anything about Naata Pratha, but when naata was first mentioned in BV, i saw a link whereby Anandi & Phooli were interviewed.

In that link Anandi mentions that Naata happens when a widow is married (taken home) by her dead husband's elder or younger mother. She also mentioned its an evil practice because in this Pratha a girl is sold.

So based on that I felt it was more like living life as companions rather than a dignified married couple. I also felt that a guy would only naata with his deceased brother's wife if his wife is either dead or separated, which is not Bharat's case.

it never mentioned / implied anything about surrogation, so Tinoo, I also have a similar question as yours... and if naata is only done for surrogation then why would any parents force their daughter into naata, because ultimately all daughters will be dumped back on to their parents

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tinoo

@tinoo

Rocker

Posted: 13 years ago

Originally posted by: Missesha

it never mentioned / implied anything about surrogation, so Tinoo, I also have a similar question as yours... and if naata is only done for surrogation then why would any parents force their daughter into naata, because ultimately all daughters will be dumped back on to their parents

Exactly!! this is my question -- if all the inlaws want is a uterus on rent -- then that means that ultimately daughter will be dumped back on parents -- and this time it will be a worse condition for phooli. as a widow itself, she and her parents faced so many problems. Now as a ex-naata woman all she will be seen as is as a prostitute.

If parents understood implications of the custom of naata then they obviously didnt care for phooli's future.

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jyothi

@pjyo

Rocker

Posted: 13 years ago

Read one article on natha where a guy committed suicide because his wife dumped him for natha with other man...😕

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-11-25/jaipur/28251755_1_natha-ceiling-fan-depression

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stuti..

@stuti..

Inactive

Posted: 13 years ago

Cvs are perhaps selectively showing half picture. Naata pratha has nowhere been mentioned as an exclusively surrogacy oriented custom- not even its prime aim (except of course in some individual instances). So what Cvs panchyat dialogue was hinting is perhaps entirely oriented for Cvs need towards the present track or their take on this custom (unless, in some particular pockets of Rajasthan, if this happens to be the prime aim...then more knowledgeable person may mention such an area).

Root of the colloquial word 'Naata' means a 'relationship'...where the convenience is more to circumvent messy 'divorces'-untangling from existing marriages (frequently by women wanting to walk away from an unhappy marriage, especially when she has found a supportive paramour!) or simply to bypass a ritual hindu marriage (as seen in some instances of Dewarvatu- marriage of a widow to younger brother-in-law, where the aim may be as diverse as paucity of brides, concern for existing children or simply preservation of family property). This custom is almost unthinkable in higher castes like Brahmin, Rajputs or Jains.

But as with almost all customs, patriarchal society, especially in rural areas, hugely exploits this 'inherently diabolic to civil society's marriage institution norms' custom in subjugating a hapless/voiceless woman of a poor or greedy family like a trading commodity. In such cases the woman has almost no voice or rights unless she approaches the legal system (as remote as a distant dream perhaps), which of course should remedied the trampled rights. But then even greater menace is the routing boycott by a spiteful, vindictive rural community led by upstaged Panch (community elders). But then financial exploits occurs in higher caste too, remember Gehna's capitulation (assuming Singhs being a higher caste)- saving relief is legal hindu marriage!

Codes and customs around this custom must be diverse from region to region- am confused and ignorant on many aspects- especially legal ones ( can not Phooli complaint her unwillingness from the outset or later capitulation and betrayals?). Hope Cvs will unfold an educating picture.

P.S. In a side note, though here first wife is deliberately drawn as a commanding presence. What hold she would have on a capricious family like Bharat's is not known. In practice, childless woman would face even greater ignominy and humiliation by the likes of bharat's and from the incoming 'naatin' wife who bears a child- and then held in higer value, as well as source of further progenies!

Edited by stutishah - 13 years ago

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Missesha

@Missesha

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 13 years ago

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?

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Phoolis dad and naata pratha

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