The mangalsutra removal ceremony by Dravida Kazhakam activists held on April 14 in Chennai, where 21 women removed their mangalsutra, took an interesting turn on Wednesday with Hindu priests performing Pinda Puja for 21 departed souls. Thiruvannamalai, a temple town, 200 km south of Chennai wore a sombre look on Wednesday morning with priests reciting hymns from Thiruvacakam (a Tamil holy book) and performing last rites for the salvation of the husbands of those women who removed their thaali (mangalsutra).

"Women born in Hindu society remove their mangalsutra only when their husbands die. These symbolic last rites are meant for the souls of their husbands," Sadhu R Mohan, a priest who led 20 other priests told The Pioneer. The last rites had all the ingredients of a customary Pinda Puja, including godaan, vasthra daan and anna daan (giving away of cows, clothes and food) to the poor.

The last rites for the departed souls are performed on the 16th day after their deaths. "Today happened to be the 16th day of the thaali removal. Since, it is removed immediately after the death of the husband, we decided to perform the last rites today," said S Sankar, a lawyer practicing in Vellore district court. Sankar coordinated the entire function under the guidance of Sadhu Mohan.

According to Mohan, a post-graduate in Tamil history and scholar in Thiruvacakam, mangalsutra has its own unique position in Indian culture and heritage. "The DK activists have their own rights and beliefs. Since they removed the mangalsutra publicly, we have a moral responsibility to pray for the salvation of the souls of their husbands. There is no politics in this function," he said.

Hundreds of people joined the priests in the Puja as well as the other karmas. The mangalsutra removal by the DK was in protest against the attacks carried out by Hindu activists on the premises of a TV channel office which had announced that it would air a programme on thali removal. The DK had declared a mangalsutra removal and a beef carnival on Tamil New Year which fell on April 14. But, the Tamil Nadu Government had earlier moved the Madras High Court in order to get a stay order on the function citing law and order problems.

The DK activists who had gathered at the party office performed the thali removal before the court order reached the venue. The Madras High Court has set a day for hearing the petitioner and the respondent.