Jaipur, Sept. 5: An 83-year-old widow who had been fasting for nearly a month and a half passed away today in Bikaner, in the first Santhara-related death since the Supreme Court stayed the ban on the centuries-old Jain ritual of voluntary starvation earlier this week.

Badani Devi is said to have begun her fast unto death on July 25 - a fortnight before Rajasthan High Court had banned the practice on August 10. But her family members had made her decision public only after the apex court's August 31 stay order.

Mohan Surana, a relative, said the octogenarian, who died around 8 this morning, was critically ill and decided to take up Santhara after realising that "death was imminent".

She is survived by three sons and a daughter, apart from her grandchildren.

According to the religious practice, those who decide to embrace Santhara take a vow to give up food and water as a way of embracing death for salvation.

On August 10, however, the high court had made Santhara a criminal offence under penal code sections 309 (attempted suicide) and 306 (abetment of suicide), punishable by jail terms.

The ban followed a 2006 public interest petition that pleaded that the ritual amounted to committing suicide. Activists have compared Santhara to euthanasia and Sati, contending that it was sometimes a way of getting rid of elderly relatives and grab their share of property.

After the high court issued the ban, many Jain community organisations moved the apex court and alleged violation of Articles 25 (free profession, practice and propagation of religion), 26 (freedom to manage religious affairs) and 29 (protection of interests of the minorities).

In Bikaner, relative Surana said Badani Devi, who had blood pressure and diabetes, had been ill since the last week of May.

"Her condition started deteriorating from July first week. She had vomiting, diarrhoea and minor ailments that are part of old age. On July 17, when Badani Devi thought that death was imminent, she decided to take up Santhara. Before that, her guru and family members asked her if she really intended to take up Santhara. She said 'yes'."

Badani Devi's husband Manik Chand Daga, too, had taken up Santhara about 15 years ago, Surana added.

Surana said for eight days from July 17, Badani Devi had only boiled water as she resorted to " tapasya" (meditation) before formally taking up Santhara.

According to PTI, Jain Lunkaran Chajed, the Jain Mahasabha secretary for Bikaner, confirmed the dates, saying that though the Gangashahar resident had taken the resolution on July 17, she started the ritual socially on July 25, which her family kept a secret. She publicly resumed her Santhara after the top court's stay.

Dr D.R. Mehta, chief patron of the Jaipur Foot and a staunch supporter of Santhara, said: "The lady was critically ill and died with dignity."

"It was up to her to decide how to embrace death, although permission was required from her guru and family members, which she must have taken."

But he added that if anyone wants to "die as quickly as possible" after taking up Santhara, then it "ceases" to be Santhara. "Then it becomes transgression."