Madras High Court rules removal of thali can constitute mental cruelty in divorce

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court upheld a divorce decree after finding that a Hindu wife’s voluntary removal of her thali (mangalsutra) reflected mental cruelty toward her husband. Justice P. Vadamalai affirmed the trial court’s 2017 decision, noting that while the removal of the thali is not an automatic ground for divorce, it can be considered mental cruelty depending on the facts of the case.

The court observed that the thali is a sacred symbol of marital continuity in Hindu tradition and is traditionally removed only upon the husband’s death. In this case, the wife admitted to removing the thali, ceasing to wear jewellery, and converting to Christianity, alongside making unsubstantiated accusations against her husband. The husband’s allegations of cruelty, desertion, and long separation were upheld, leading to the final divorce order.