- Family in Meerut celebrated daughter's divorce with drums and sweets outside court
- Retired judge father said drums mark daughter’s value at every life stage, like her birth
- Pranita wore "My Family, My Life" T-shirt; family wore shirts expressing love and support
In many Indian families, divorce is still seen as a stigma. Women often face questions, blame and social pressure, and families usually respond with silence and worry. But in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, one family chose a different path, standing with their daughter and celebrating her divorce as a moment of support.
After a family court in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut granted the divorce of a woman named Pranita, her retired judge father marked the moment by playing drums and distributing sweets outside the court complex. Relatives danced to drumbeats, and laddoos were shared. Videos of the celebration soon went viral on social media and became a topic of discussion.
In the video, family members were seen wearing black T-shirts printed with Pranita's photograph and the message, "I Love My Daughter. My Heart, My Soul." Pranita, too, wore a black T-shirt that read, "My Family, My Life."
Speaking about her journey, Pranita said she had tried to save her marriage. "I wanted to protect my family. Divorce proceedings had started in 2021 as well. My father supported me throughout. I hope everyone gets a family that stands by them in difficult times," she said.
Her father, retired judge Dr Gyanendra Sharma, explained the reason behind the celebration. "Drums were played when my daughter was born. Today, they were played again to show that a daughter's value remains the same at every stage of her life," he said.
Pranita is the only daughter of Dr Gyanendra Sharma, a resident of Meerut. She was married in 2018 to Gaurav Agnihotri, a Major in the Indian Army, currently posted in Jalandhar, Punjab. The couple has a son.
Over time, Pranita faced increasing harassment from her in-laws. As the situation worsened, she decided to seek a divorce. The matter reached the family court, which later approved the divorce.
Soon after the court order, Dr Sharma and other family members arranged drums, garlands and sweets, and began celebrating outside the Meerut district court. What started at the court soon became a talking point across the city.
The family has already faced personal loss. Pranita's brother died in a road accident in 2022, which deeply affected them. During this period, Pranita continued to face daily harassment at her marital home.
Her father stood by her and encouraged her to make a decision for her well-being. After the divorce was granted, the family chose to celebrate the moment instead of observing it quietly.
(With inputs from Sanuj Sharma)
