Shuddhi Vidhi: Purification

Shuddhi Vidhi: Purification
In old days there were some communities which were unjustly treated as untouchables. Mahar and Bhill communities were regarded to be untouchables. If any Pawara man marries with Bhill woman, the woman must be then purified. After doing the Shuddhi Vidhi the woman would be able to enter in the Pawara family. Once there was a Shuddhi Vidhi at Umrani of the Bhill wife of Gunjarya Pawara who was a watchman at Padalpur when Janardan Maharaj went Talode for further education. Janardan Maharaj was also invited for the programme. There was only one chair at the function. Janardan Maharaj was requested to have it but Janardan Maharaj deliberately denied because he was waiting for someone else. He also observed that there was only one pair of cup and saucer and the tea was to be served. At that time a leader of Mahar community Shri Parmar was going on the way. Janardan Valvi called him to attend the function. Janardan Maharaj offered him the only chair to sit. The leader sat there. The first cup of tea was brought and offered to Janardan Maharaj but he deliberately gave it to the leader. After the leader, every person attending the function was served the tea with the only cup and saucer. They washed the cup and saucer every time but it was touched by the Mahar. After tea Janardan Maharaj pointed out the matter before all of them.
He asked, "Now we all have taken tea in the same cup and saucer that means we all are now polluted. Now let's decide who is going to perform the Shuddhi Vidhi first?"

Now all the dominant and influential persons were confused. Then Janardan Maharaj gave a speech before them. He insisted that god was one and he had not made any discrimination regarding the cast then why should man do like that. From then the custom of Shuddhi Vidhi was discarded and banished from the society.