Court calls wife’s refusal to eat onion and garlic ‘mental cruelty', grants divorce to husband

Imagine this scenario: A young couple starts their married life with love, promise and hope of a lifetime of togetherness, but small daily choices- like what’s on the plate - snowballs into irreparable rifts between them. That's what happened between a couple who filed for divorce due to their different eating habits, reported ET.On November 27, 2025, the Gujarat High Court upheld a family court’s divorce ruling in such a case. The husband claimed that his wife followed a strict diet with no-onion or garlic because of her religious beliefs. This caused mental cruelty, sparking constant fights and emotional distance between them. While she didn’t fight the split, she appealed the alimony amount. Here's what really happened:Married under the Hindu rites, their home became a battleground over food. The wife followed a sattvic diet - common in some spiritual circles in India - and so she did not have onion and garlic in her meals. She insisted it was her faith, known to him before they got married. But the husband said his mother cooked meals for his wife separately-- without any onion or garlic. Meanwhile, the family ate normally, leading to tension, arguments, and complaints to the police and legal aid. This pushed him to file for divorce under Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, citing cruelty and desertion. She countered him by saying that he’d always wanted out, neglected duties, and exaggerated claims. Heartbreakingly, daily meals revealed deeper incompatibilities between the couple.In her appeal, the wife didn’t contest the divorce - her lawyer conceded it - but fought for more maintenance. She claimed no independent income, portrayed him as a factory partner earning Rs 60,000-1 lakh monthly, and sought Rs 20,000 along with a separate residence from his joint family.He pushed back hard: His salary slips showed Rs 62,718 annually from a company (not his dad’s factory), barely covering his joint family's needs - he had ageing parents and a son pursuing a master’s in computer engineering. They lived in one room plus a kitchen, underscoring hardship. Her rigidity about her food choices, he said, forced separate cooking in the house and escalated their fights. The family court agreed: Her demands caused mental cruelty to the husband. Emotionally, it’s tough - imagine resenting shared meals, feeling trapped by beliefs you once accepted. His one-time settlement offer was also declined by the wife, which showed his willingness to move on cleanly.Family court dissolved the marriage, awarding Rs 8,000 monthly (July 2013-July 2020), then Rs 10,000 ongoing - discretionary under Section 25, factoring both incomes, lifestyles, and responsibilities, reported ET. High Court (C/FA/3109/2024) upheld it: No perversity in evidence review. Wife’s lawyer couldn’t disprove his modest salary; her job admission weakened claims. “No cogent evidence” of higher earnings, noted the bench. They dismissed her appeal, adjusted payments (husband deposited Rs 4.27 lakh, rest to follow), closing with no costs. Justice felt pragmatic - acknowledging cruelty without villainising faith.This case shows that compatibility today isn’t just love; it’s shared rituals like meals.What are your views on this particular incident and reason for divorce? Tell us in the comments section below.