It has been ten days since Hindu school girl Sanya Singhal has missed her lessons at the Aranmore Catholic College after being barred from attending school for wearing a nose stud for religious reasons.
The Grade 10 student recently had her nose pierced according to the Hindu tradition of celebrating the menarche or the first period.
Her mother, Kalyani Singhal, says she is required to wear it and cannot remove it.
“Traditionally, we get the nose pierced when the girl enters womanhood and we cannot remove it for 12 months. We celebrate this transition to womanhood.
“Hindus are the most flexible and we try to fit in everywhere we go. And I did like to preserve our cultural and religious tradition. I have not forced my daughter to wear it. She too wants to follow the Hindu customs,” she told SBS Hindi.
But Sanya’s Catholic school says it is against their uniform policy and has barred her from coming to school with the nose stud.
Sanya Singhal (left) with mother Kalyani Singhal (right) Source: Supplied
Nose piercing is a 'deep-rooted cultural and religious ritual'
The matter has now escalated with the Hindu Council of Australia seeking the Archbishop of Perth’s intervention into the issue.
In a letter to the Reverend Timothy Costelloe SDB, the Archbishop of Perth, the Hindu Council of Australia has sought their intervention ‘to help evolve Catholic schools to become more friendly to non-Christian and Hindu faith students.’
‘I hope you are equally perturbed by the turn of events in Aranmore Catholic College,’ the letter reads.
SBS Hindi is in possession of the copy of the letter which says ‘the Hindu Council of Australia is keen on taking up the general issue of Catholic schools permitting religious symbols of non-Christian students in their schools.’
‘The Hindu Council would like to explain that nose piercing is not a fashion or rebellion statement of a teenager but is a deep-rooted cultural and religious ritual for girls going through puberty.’
Surinder Jain, the National Vice-President of the Hindu Council of Australia has called upon the Catholic Archbishops and Catholic Education organisations not to ‘attempt to interpret what is essential to Hindus themselves.
Sanya Singhal and her mother are devout Hindus. Source: Supplied
“The way we would not advise them the significance of Christian symbols, we would like them not to interpret what is essential and not essential to Hindus,” Mr Jain told SBS Hindi.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Perth confirmed that the Office of the Archbishop had received the email correspondence from the Hindu Council of Australia.
“Given the matter was pertaining to Catholic Education, as is our standard operating procedure, this correspondence was immediately forwarded to Catholic Education authorities for its consideration.
“It would not be appropriate for Archbishop Costelloe SDB to make any comment in regards to this matter until such time as he receives a formal briefing from CEWA, which remains pending at this time,” the spokesperson told SBS Hindi.
School consults Hindu priest for ‘clarity’
Meanwhile, the school has consulted a Hindu priest to ‘seek clarity’.
Mr Declan Tanham, the school principal has told the Hindu Council that the feedback he has received suggests that wearing a nose ring ‘is a choice’.
“The common feedback which I have received has suggested that wearing the nose ring is a choice and not a religious obligation, although it has religious significance. I am told that some do wear it and some don’t.
“Given that is the case I offered the family the option of keeping the nose ring in and removing it whilst she is at the school. I feel that this is a fair compromise but the family have rejected it.
“I may ask the priest, if he is agreeable, to visit the family to assure them that this would be an acceptable compromise,” he says in an email correspondence with the Hindu Council.
