Garud Puran: Often you must have seen that after someone's death, the responsibility of performing the last rites is taken over by the male members of the family. Women usually do not go to the crematorium or go only till the point from where the funeral procession starts.

But do the scriptures really prevent women from performing the last rites? Is there any clear mention of this in Garuda Purana or other religious scriptures? Let us know what Garuda Purana says on this subject.

Which people have the right to perform last rites?

The matter related to last rites is mentioned in Chapter 8 of Preta Khand of Garuda Purana. In this chapter, Garuda questions Lord Vishnu as to who has the right to perform the last rites after the death of a person. On this, Lord Vishnu answers in detail and says: "First of all, the son, grandson, great-grandson, i.e. the next generations of the children get the right to perform the last rites. If they are not there, then brothers, brother's sons and their descendants can perform this rites. Apart from these, relatives born in the same clan have also been given this right."

Do women have the right to perform last rites?

Further Lord Vishnu says that if there is no male member in the family, then women like wife, daughter or sister can perform the last rites. That is, when there are no male members, women are completely allowed to fulfill this responsibility. At the same time, if no relative is present in the family, then a prominent person of the society can perform the last rites of the deceased.

This makes it clear that nowhere in the scriptures have women been deprived of the last rites. The belief that women cannot go to the crematorium or perform the last rites is not a religious rule but a social tradition, which people themselves have developed over time. The scriptures have not stopped women from this responsibility. In today's time, when families have become smaller and many times daughters take care of their parents, it is not right to stick to old traditions only. The real need is that we understand the scriptures correctly.