SAVE THE GIRL CHILD

SAVE THE GIRL CHILD

An Apt Slogan

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Today, the 29th of September 2012, is Anant Chaturdashi (अनंत चतुर्दशी), the last day of Gansehotsav (गणेशोत्सव) Festival and Pune (पुणे) City gets ready for गणेश विसर्जन - the grand Ganesh Immersion Procession which will commence in the afternoon and will go on all night as everyone chants गणपती बाप्पा मोरया पुढच्या वर्षी लवकर या ...

This year, the theme of many Gansehotsav Mandals in Pune this year is “save the girl child” and you will see posters and hoardings carrying this very insightful message in Marathi all over Pune:

आई पहिजे 
पत्नी (बायको) पाहिजे 
बहिण पाहिजे 
मग ... मुलगी का नको ? 

Roughly translated into Marathi, it means:

You want a Mother

You want a Wife

You want a Sister

Then ... why don't you want a Daughter?

Even in the modern world of today, is it a fact that:

For a Mother you want a Female

For a Sister you want a Female

For a Wife you want a Female

But

For a Child you do not want a Female

I think times are changing and most for most people it does not matter whether their child is a girl or a boy. 

And for those few who are still gender biased and discriminate, and for those parents who still name their daughters नकोशी (unwanted), this message is still relevant and they must ask themselves:
आई पहिजे, पत्नी (बायको) पाहिजे, बहिण पाहिजे, मग... मुलगी का नको ?  

You want a Mother, You want a Wife. You want a Sister.
Then ... why don't you want a Daughter?