Kanpur man marks daughter’s homecoming after divorce with ‘band-baaja’

Anil Kumar, a Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh native, has created an exception by honoring his daughter Urvi’s return to her parent’s house following her divorce with a ceremonial band-baaja procession. This is a touching example of parental support. At the Palam Airport in New Delhi, Anil Kumar, a BSNL employee, greeted his engineer daughter, 36, with a lively band and open arms.

This celebration represented a dramatic shift from the social norm that stigmatize women who have been divorced. “We returned her to just how we had sent her off following her nuptials. We want her to start over with her chin up,” Anil Kumar said.  

Following claims of abuse by her in-laws, Urvi’s 2016 marriage to a computer engineer terminated in a divorce approved by the court on February 28. After eight years of abuse, beatings, and taunts, Urvi said, “I really tried to save the relationship, but in the end, it broke down.”

Anil Kumar wanted to give society a positive message, which is why he decided to celebrate his daughter’s return. To provide a positive message to society and encourage families to try to understand their daughters rather than disregard them after marriage, he said, “while bringing her back home, I made arrangements for band baaja.”   

The neighbors were originally puzzled by the event—which was documented on camera and extensively circulated on social media—thinking Urvi was getting married again. They were touched by the gesture, though, and quickly realized the real reason for the celebration. Urvi’s mother, Kusumlata, reflected on the occasion and expressed her happiness at being reunited with her daughter and granddaughter.

Urvi, who is incredibly grateful for her parents’ support, intends to take a break before beginning a new chapter in her life. In addition to giving his daughter a new start, Anil Kumar’s unusual celebration pushed convention and gave rise to fresh thoughts about how society should assist those facing difficulties after divorce.  

Here are some examples of people in India ending their marriages in unusual ways: 

Mumbai Divorce Party: To mark the end of her marriage, a Mumbai woman hosted a divorce party. To celebrate her new beginning and independence, she extended an invitation to her loved ones. 

Cake Cutting in Delhi: To mark the beginning of a new chapter in his life, a newly divorced guy celebrated being single by cutting a cake with his close friends.  

Freedom Photoshoot: To encourage people going through similar circumstances, a Bangalore woman decided to organize a photoshoot including messages of empowerment and independence following her divorce. She published the images on social media. 

Celebration vacation: A vacation to the Andaman Islands was arranged by a group of divorced women from Kolkata. They rejoiced in their freedom and the close relationship they had while helping one another get through their divorces.

These tales demonstrate how opinions about divorce are changing in society, with more individuals now seeing it as a chance for a new beginning rather than an insult. Openly celebrating such outcomes can be empowering and aid in transforming deeply held prejudices.  

You might also be interested in – IIT-Kanpur prepared to utilise artificial rain to combat air pollution in Delhi-NCR