Local Train

I have spent few good months in the magical city of Mumbai and have had my share of ups/downs by the lifeline of Mumbai-the local trains! While going through some old documents, I came across these few lines I had jotted down once during a 45 minutes travel in the ladies compartment from Powai to CST in the year 2010. Those really were old good days...

I meet new people every day,

While travelling in the local train,

Rich and poor, black and white,

Some dressed bright, some dressed plain

I look at that girl, putting her make up

Right beside her, the other one asleep

There’s another one singing to her self

And one engrossed in her book deep

There’s a lady working on her lappy

And a mother, feeding her child

Also a girl, head banging to some music

Another begging for alms,  blind.

A woman I see, selling peanuts

And another newspapers to read

There’s one with a basket of flowers,

Selling everything a traveller might need.

Sometimes I get the seat by the window,

Sometimes I sway all the way standing

And once I got so squished and smashed

That I nearly stopped my breathing

It still feels like worth the pain

Travelling by the local train

To see people on with their lives,

During all summer, winter and rain

Daughter, not Bride

I recently came across an alarming fact-there are going to be 39000 child marriages in the world everyday between 2011-2020; in 47% of the marriages in India , the bride is of less than 18 years of age and having a very large population, India has the largest absolute number of child marriages in the world.

While I am looking forward to a good night's sleep, there are numerous teen-aged girls out there who are dreading the setting of the sun and arrival of their septuagenarian husbands who will exert them to the most horrifying pain of their lives. It pains to just think of it!

Despite the physical and psychological damage done to young girls, little progress has been done towards elimination of this. While we speak of reducing social-economic disparities, let's not just think of disparities between different castes,regions and religions- fighting discrimination against young girls should top the concerns! They are subjected to severe discrimination right from the moment they are conceived. Whether to keep a girl fetus or not, whether to send her school or not, whether to send her for higher education or further skill development or not...and mostly the answers to the above is inclined towards the "not" side.There's no denying to the fact that child marriages happen for both males and females, which is equally disturbing, but they are the young girls who are biggest victims.

Child marriage is a global issue, which has been there since centuries, rooted deeply in gender inequality, poverty, social beliefs and traditions. Some families wed off their young girls at a tender age because they want to get rid of mouths to feed. Some think a girl child is a big liability and that the sooner sent to another family, the better for theirs. Some believe that getting their girl married before puberty is, in some weird twisted kind , an act that will bring blessings to their families. Some think, they are actually protecting their daughters from the glaring eyes of the society and that protecting them from sexual attacks and insuring their girls from becoming pregnant out of wedlock! All of this, only to throw her into the world of intimate partner abuse and complications of early pregnancy and child births. It's like a girl child is considered as a problem and the solution one sees is just getting rid of it!

I have a few messages for all those who do not value their girls!

You think a girl is an extra mouth of feed- educate her like you do your son, one day she will go ahead and feed you! You think she is a liability- she's actually an asset- you just don't know the right place to invest in! There are so many skill development programs which your girl has equal right to-encourage her to be a part if it. You already have the blessings in your family in the form of your girl, getting rid of her is actually doing you no good! You want to protect your daughters from the society? Treat her equal, make her strong and if you think your girl is equal to your boy, the whole world will! She has been born in our house as a daughter to bring happiness and honour to your house just like you think your son will , not just to be a bride to some one! Treat her right! Why are you in a hurry to give away your asset to someone else?

I cannot reach each of those household who I want to give this message to. If you know any such households, please do your part and help them realize they have been blessed with daughters,not just brides!