Wearing 'Sindoor' Is Hindu Married Woman's Religious Duty: Indore Family Court (image:unsplash.com/ AMISH THAKKAR)

A family court in Madhya Pradesh”s Indore in its recent verdict observed that wearing ritualistic “sindoor” (vermilion) is a Hindu woman”s responsibility as it demonstrates her marital status.

It was while hearing a plea by a man urging the restoration of his rights under the Hindu Marriage Act after his wife walked out of the marriage five years ago that the court made this directive. The wife had begun divorce proceedings, and she had been living separately from the husband for the past five years.

In an order dated on March 1, the Indore family court Principal Judge NP Singh said: “When the statement of the woman was recorded in the court, she admitted she was not wearing “sindoor”. “Sindoor” is a religious duty of a wife and it shows that the woman is married,” PTI reports.

During the hearing it came to Court”s understanding that the wife had not been abandoned by her husband that she chose to leave him, the order said. In her defence, the wife accused her husband of physical and mental harassment for dowry. However, the court came across that concerning the said allegations, the woman had not submitted any police complaints or reports. The Family court, therefore, has asked a woman to return to her husband”s home with immediate effect.

(With inputs from PTI)