BREAKING THE MENACE: CHILD MARRIAGE OF BANJARA GIRLS

BREAKING THE MENACE: CHILD MARRIAGE OF BANJARA GIRLS

The Sustenance-Struggle-Survival day for Komati bai has begin at 4 am, with an end of her beautiful dream.Perhaps it’s the only time where she has the “LIBERTY OF FREE THINKING”. She started walking to fetch drinking water whose distance is longer than today’s millineals Jogging track. She was joined by her fellow “Morning athletes” with pot full of water on their heads and started walking back home.The hen’s, cows and buffaloes were waiting eagerly for her at home, to get their freedom of releasing from clutches. The charm on her face under the darkness of her struggle is fascinating to watch (picture)

WALKING THE EXTRA MILE: SUSTENANCE

The rat race of life has begun for Komati bai now. She again joined with her ‘ Morning athletes’ on the mud road but for a different pathway now. Her friends started walking towards the Government school but her way was towards the agricultural land. The reality of Sustenance is greater than School to her.

The Mighty hands of Komati bai now ploughs the land, plucks the weed and sows the seed on the land which is a major sustenance for her family. The land is of course ’Implicit' on her name. But, truth lies beneath. Land is a “QUID-PRO-QUO” ( consideration) Yes. As saying goes Freedom comes with sacrifice, her father’s freedom of marriage to her child comes with using land as a DOWRY.

PRISONER OF SHORT TERM: STRUGGLE & SURVIVAL

The Freedom (burden) day of her father and Black day of Komati bai has arrived. Its time for ‘Quid pro quo’. The Bridge groom and his parivar has arrived for her marriage, of course with proposal of Huge Dowry. Komati bai has no say here. Her definiion of liberty of saying Yes/No is already pre-decided by family. The Beautiful Komati bai is getting ready for her marriage at the very young age of 16.

Pic: The Guardian

The menace of Child marriage & Dowry is plaguing the society since long time. This is wide spread and more prevalent amount downtrodden society like Schedule Tribe(Banjaras). The major reason being Lack of Awareness among the parents and the age old myths & social stigma of girl child’s role when she becomes major is to look over the household duty & procreation of children. The 21st century is moving forward with flag of equality rising high, but the marginalised communities have stayed back and moving backwards further.

The Dowry is highly prevalent in ST(Banjaras). In The upper castes Dowry meance is very less and not even 10% of what Segregated & Marginalised section like ST have. Schedule Tribes lies at the bottom 5% of poor population even today, but the dowry demand of luring is making the life’s of many of Komati bai like families miserable.

The Late APJ ABDUL KALAM sir once said, if a country is to become a nation of beautiful minds & happy living three key members can make a difference. They are Father-Mother & Teacher.

But in case of Komati bai her Family already pre-decided her Liberty, Freethinking & Survival with no independence to her. And the teacher’s role was never present in her life. That’s where the solution lies.

Little societal awareness can make parents to educate their children. This has a “Cascading returns”. Education has the potential to empower girl child’s like Komati bai & many other to stand on their own. This eventually leads the Community-Society and the Country to move forward and establish an egalitarian order.

Say NO to child marriage.