Religious Rights Versus Women's Rights In India

The efforts of Goolrukh Gupta, a Parsi woman who married outside her community, to be allowed entry into the 'Fire Temple' and 'Tower of Silence', to attend the last rites of her parents has brought into focus the peculiar struggle that exists in India of Religious Rights of Women.

The Parsi community is quite exclusive – it allows only Parsis to enter the Fire Temple and Tower of Silence. Parsis also abide by patrilineal descent and Parsi women who inter-marry, are deemed to have converted to their husband's faith. Resultantly, Parsi Religious Trusts may disallow Parsi women who have inter-married, from entry into the Fire Temple and Tower of Silence.

Goolrukh, who lives in Valsad, Gujarat, married a person of Hindu faith. Upon seeing her Parsi friend who had also inter-married, be refused entry into the Fire Temple and Tower of Silence for her parents' funerary rituals, Goolrukh decided to petition the Parsi Trust at Valsad to ask that she be allowed to attend