In this article, an interesting ritual called Sallekhana in Jainism is being presented.
Sallekhana of a Teen Girl
In August 2016, a 13-year-old girl from a wealthy family in Zahirabad city India, announced that she was going to observe a unique fast in her life.
The girl said that her fast would continue until she bid farewell to this world due to the lack of food. Upon her announcement, instead of being concerned, her family, relatives, and religious leaders began congratulating her, saying that she was about to perform a sacred ritual of her life. They all started praying for her, wishing that she would remain steadfast in her decision. Soon, her parents prepared a specific area in the house where the girl was seated for this purpose.
A religious leader arrived and began reciting religious verses. Then, the leader led a long prayer, asking for the girl’s steadfastness in her fast and for her success in achieving her goal of leaving the world while fasting. The method and duration of the fast were also quite interesting and strange. In the first stage, the girl was instructed to give up all solid food and only consume beverages, which are liquid or fluid forms of nourishment.
After a few days, her beverages were stopped, and she was only given plain or warm water. Gradually, the timing of giving her water was reduced to morning and evening.
Every day, a religious leader would come to the house, recite religious verses for the girl, and offer prayers before leaving. 
Additionally, as people learned about the girl, they began visiting to see her and encourage her. They all treated the girl as a saint and asked her to pray for them. The girl had become very weak due to the lack of food. Her parents and grandparents stayed with her constantly, supporting her and encouraging her, saying that she was doing a very noble deed.
They were surprisingly happy about the girl’s actions.
Finally, after 68 days of struggle, on the night of October 3, 2016, the girl passed away from this world.
People began congratulating the girl’s parents, saying that she had succeeded in her goal, and the family accepted the congratulations as if their daughter had indeed accomplished something great and they were now the heirs of a saintly girl.
The girl’s funeral was then taken in a public procession to complete her last rites.
Since, in their view, the girl had bid farewell to the world in a magnificent manner, her last rites were also somewhat different and, in their eyes, more honorable compared to others who had passed away.
A large pile of wood was placed there. Instead of laying the girl’s body on top of the wood pile, she was seated in a position as if she were engaged in some special worship.
The religious leader began reciting religious verses loudly. Afterward, expensive desi ghee (clarified butter) and costly oils were poured on the wood, and the pile was set on fire.
In this way, the girl’s last rites were completed. This religious ritual is called Sallekhana, in Hindi language.
The media swarmed over the girl’s actions and accused the family members. The police in Zahirabad, India, filed an FIR against the girl’s parents.
The case went to the Indian Supreme Court, questioning how parents could allow their children or anyone to die in such a fasting state based on religion.
Sallekhana in Jainism
Followers of the Jain religion consider this matter a part of their religious ritual, which devotees perform willingly and joyfully, and not under any coercion. They have labeled the objections raised by civil society and the public as an infringement on their religious freedom.
However, later, the Indian Supreme Court declared it a religious matter and allowed this religious ritual to continue for the sake of religious freedom.
The religion that encourages fasting unto death is Jainism in India, which is fascinating and surprising in many ways.
Jain devotees adopt different methods of fasting unto last breath. In the first method, they choose a religious place where no living being, not even humans, is present.
They stop eating and drinking and declare their intention to fast. They lay a bed made of grass or straw in their place of worship and lie down on it while fasting.
In this state, they are religiously bound not to move their hands or feet, or in other words, they bring their body into a fasting state by avoiding any movement.
And in this way, they leave this world.
In the second method, the person who wishes to leave the world by fasting stops eating and drinking and lies down on an empty piece of land while fasting.
However, they are allowed to move their hands and feet but only while following specific religious rituals. And then, in this state, they depart from the world.
In the third method, the person fasting unto death stops eating and drinking and stands still like a tree without moving until death comes.
Stages of Fasting in Jainism
However, the religious ritual of fasting has different stages. First, the person seeking sacrifice finds a place where no living being is present. Then, they stop consuming solid food and only consume liquids in fluid form. In the third stage, they give up all other liquids and only consume pure or warm water. In the next stage, they stop drinking water altogether. Due to the complete avoidance of food, their body becomes weak, and eventually, they depart from this world. The purpose of such religious rituals is to seek liberation from the sorrows and pains of this world and to attain the eternal world, where, according to them, there is no suffering or distress.
All these rituals are also called Sallekhana, Samlehna, Santhara, Samadhi, and Sanyasana-Maran. The followers of this ritual belong to the Jain religion, which is found in India. However, many Jain temples still exist in the Sindh region of Pakistan. Additionally, their sacred sites are also present in Rawalpindi, Taxila, and other areas.
History of Jainism
If we talk about the history of the Jain religion, according to researchers, this religion began 2,500 years ago. This religion does not have a concept of God. Their religion is primarily based on 24 gurus (teachers) who laid the foundation of the Jain religious structure. Among them, the first guru was named Rishabhanatha, while the last guru was named Mahavira.
Similarly, they believe that the universe has always existed and has no creator. This universe will never end, and there will be no Day of Judgment or reckoning. According to them, if a human purifies their soul, then that soul becomes the most powerful entity in the universe.
To purify their soul and make it the most powerful entity in the universe, these people become religious ascetics, known as Sadhus and Monks.
Principles
The Jain religion instructs its followers to follow five principles. The first is Ahimsa (non-violence), meaning not to harm any living being. This is why they are strictly vegetarian. Religious leaders carry a soft broom made of threads in their hands and sweep the path in front of them while walking to ensure no small creatures or insects are crushed under their feet. They also wear a special mask over their mouths to prevent microscopic organisms in the air from entering their mouths and dying.
The second principle is to avoid sexual misconduct. Some Jains even avoid marriage. Additionally, speaking the truth, not stealing, and not becoming attached to worldly possessions are important tenets. This is why many followers of Jainism renounce worldly activities and become Sadhus (ascetics) and Monks.
Sects
Jainism is primarily divided into two sects. One is called Digambaras, while the other is known as Svetambaras. According to one sect, when they renounce worldly activities, they give up all material possessions, including clothing. Therefore, the followers of this sect, the Sadhus and Monks, always remain naked. Female ascetics wear unsown white cloth. This sect is called Digambaras. On the other hand, the followers of the other sect, when they become Sadhus, wear only white clothes. For them, wearing white clothes symbolizes detachment from worldly affairs. This sect is called Svetambaras. The term Svetambara itself means “white-clad.” However, there are significant disagreements between these two sects.
Sadhu and Monk
When someone becomes a Jain Sadhu, they must leave behind all worldly clothing, wealth, and homes, and travel barefoot to spread the teachings of Jainism. For this purpose, they are given only a large bowl to beg for food and a stick. All Sadhus, both men and women, pluck out their hair. They are not allowed to have their hair cut by a barber because this would make them dependent on others, which is not considered good. Another reason for removing their hair is to prevent lice from infesting their heads, as removing lice would cause harm to the insects, which would violate their principle of non-violence (Ahimsa).
According to various estimates, every year in India, 150 to 200 Jain individuals bid farewell to this world by performing the ritual of Sallekhana. Politically, the majority of the Jain community supports the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), even though the two religions are distinct.
In India, the total population of Jainism followers is between 5 to 6 million. However, the followers of Jainism are among the wealthiest communities in India, similar to the Parsi community, and hold significant importance. The literacy rate among Jains is higher compared to followers of other religions. There are many instances where individuals from the wealthiest Jain families have donated millions of rupees in property and then become Sadhus themselves, living by begging while spreading the teachings of Jainism.
Purpose of Sallekhana
Now, the question arises: Why do followers of Jainism renounce worldly possessions and become Sadhus? And why do some Sadhus or ordinary Jains fast until last breath?
In reality, followers of Jainism believe that the human soul repeatedly returns to this world, a concept also known as reincarnation. This theory is also found in other religions around the world. According to Jainism, the soul becomes impure by repeatedly taking birth in different bodies. They believe that worldly desires make the soul impure. To keep the soul pure, they must renounce worldly desires and become Sadhus, which purifies their soul.
On the other hand, the purpose of fasting unto last breath, which they call Sallekhana, is to free the soul from the cycle of rebirth. This means that by doing so, their soul does not enter another body after death but instead moves to another world—a world free from desires, where the soul remains pure.
With this belief or philosophy in mind, when someone performs Sallekhana in Jainism, all Jains feel happy. They consider it sacred, believing that the person is attaining a higher level in Jainism. Such individuals are revered, and people seek blessings from them.
In the modern era, the majority of the Jain population is found in India. Additionally, many are living in Nepal and many migrated to Western countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Germany, and others.
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