Showing that daughters are in no way less than sons when it comes to affection for their parents, four women in Odisha performed the last rites of their mother as their brothers did not come forward to do them.

A resident of Mangalaghat in Puri, Jati Nayak, passed away at the age of 80 and her cremation and the attendant rituals were done by her four daughters.

When the neighbours of Nayak informed her two sons about the demise of their mother, they didn’t respond. It is then her four married daughters decided to step in to perform their filial duties and break the barriers. They not only completed all the preparations for the cremation but also carried the mortal remains all the way to the Swargadwara.

With the assistance of their helpful neighbours the women prepared the pyre and shoulder Nayak four kilometres to Mangalaghat, where she was cremated.

Talking to the media, one of the daughters, Sitamani Sahu said: “Our brothers had been neglecting our mother for the last 10 years. They never allowed her to stay with them. During these years, they never, even for once, inquired if she was well, let alone taking care of her food. Prior to her death, she had once become ill and we had to shift her to hospital in an ambulance. Then, too, our brothers had chosen to remain indifferent.”

Another daughter Sushila Sahu remarked: “My Mother was staying near the younger sister. My brother did not take care of our mother. We four then decided to perform her last rites. With the help of neighbours, we carried the body and performed the last rites at Swargadwar.”

Nayak, following the death of her husband, had to work as a street vendor to take care of the family.