Anshika Rao took the extra-ordinary step to shave off her hair and participate in the final rituals of her late father in rural Rakiraki in the weekend.
Late Ernest Elvis of Waimari had only three daughters and according to Hindu rituals, a son or a male from the family usually accords the final rites to a deceased.
While it has become common for daughters to also do the rituals in Fiji, this is the first time someone has shaved off her hair.
According to Hinduism, shaving the head is one of the most prominent rituals observed after the deaths of a family members. Hair removal is a sign of purification that male family members, especially those performing the last rites, are expected to undergo.
Miss Rao is currently a third-year student at University of the South Pacific and is studying Bachelor of Network Engineering.
The Fiji Times sought Ms Rao’s permission on the publication of her pictures.
