Arjun FF: O Ri Chiraiya - Part 11 Pg 39-40, 12-Nov

Hi Friends,

I'm back again a new fictional story. This time its and issue based story in which I have used the characters of the show Arjun and some new characters to tell the narrative. The issue that I have tried to highlight here is that of female foeticide / infanticide and discrimination against a girl child which is still prevalent in India.

Female infanticide is the act of killing a female child after she is born and Female foeticide is the act of aborting a foetus because it is female even before the child is born.

This is a major social problem in India which is connected to other social evils like dowry system. In India, there is a strong bias against a girl child and girls do face discrimination in families. A son is considered to be a heir to the family where as a girl has to leave her family and bear a child for her husband's family.

There was a tendency for families to continuously produce children until a male child was born. This was primarily due to the large sexist culture that exists in India against women. This is reflected by literacy rates among women as well as economic participation, which are both particularly low in states where female foeticide is prominent and an unequal population ratio exists alongside

In earlier days, when there was no technology to determine the sex of an unborn child, in some communities, a girl child was killed immediately after she was born. Later with the development of prenatal diagnostic techniques, which were actually meant to keep a check on regular growth of foetus, these were used to determine the sex of the unborn child after which a female foetus are aborted.

India's prime minister acknowledges gendercide as a national shame, however, the police and judiciaries do not implement the law because they believe in the same thing. Authorities often let the unlawful parents and doctors off with light punishment. Often, when the mothers disobey the husband's family decision to abort the female foetus and report it to the authorities, the suits are ignored or given a light sentence: The mother is targeted for bearing girls and disobeying the family's decision to abort the child. She may even lose her job, be expose to constant death threats, and be left with unresolved cases. In addition, now also, others who give birth to girls are prone to violence. Even if she is able to give birth to the baby girls, the family is likely to not report the births and even murder them or abandon them in hospitals, temples, roadside or even municipality dustbins.

A shocking fact is that Foetal sex determination and sex-selective abortion by medical professionals has grown into a INR1,000 crore industry (US$244 million). Since 1991, 80% of districts in India have recorded an increasingly masculine sex ratio with the state of Punjab having the most masculine sex ratio. According to the decennial Indian census, the sex ratio in the 0-6 age group in India went from 104.0 males per 100 females in 1981, to 105.8 in 1991, to 107.8 in 2001, to 109.4 in 2011. The ratio is significantly higher in certain states such as Punjab and Haryana (126.1 and 122.0, as of 2001).

It is estimated that more than 10 million female foetuses have been illegally aborted in India. Researchers for the Lancet journal based in Canada and India stated that 500,000 girls were being lost annually through sex-selective abortions.

Pre-natal sex-determination was banned in India in 1994, under the Pre-conception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act. The act aims to prevent sex-selective abortion, which, according to the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, "has its roots in India's long history of strong patriarchal influence in all spheres of life."

It is most prominent in Gujarat and the North Indian states, which according to census data have an alarmingly low ratio of female children. Certain castes regularly practiced female infanticide and later female foeticide.

The government initially supported the practice to control population growth. The Preconception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act was passed in 1994, making sex-selective abortion illegal. It was then modified in 2003 holding medical professionals legally responsible. However, the PCPNDT Act has been poorly enforced by authorities.

This evil practice has resulted in another crime against women. It has led to an increase in human trafficking. In 2011, 15,000 Indian women were bought and sold as brides in areas where foeticide has led to a lack of women.

Though there have been many protests against this issue on smaller level and an episode based on a real incident was shown in a Crime show "Crime Patrol", this came to highlight when Famous Actor Aamir Khan chose this topic to be presented in his talk show "Satyamev Jayate" on national television. In that episode, some of the women shared their stories of how they were harrassed by their husband an in-laws for aborting a female foetus. And what came a shock was, some highly educated professionals living in metro cities too were involved in it. It broke the perception and myth among people that the abhorrent crime is prevalent among only rural people or those living in small towns or is confined only to lesser educated people.

The show claimed that according to 2011 Census, the rate at which the unborn female child is killed amounts to killing off 1,000,000 girls a year and there were 914 girls for every 1,000 boys. The episode concluded with a song "O Ri Chiraiya" sung by Swanand Kirkire along with Ram Sampath.

This song is the inspiration of this title of this story.

O Ri Chiraiya is dedicated to all those girls who did not get a chance to live in this world. This is the song from very first episode of Satyamev Jayate. In this episode Aamir Khan deals with a critical issue of female foeticide in India. O Ri Chiraiya is sung and lyrics are written by Swanand Kirkire under the music direction of talented musician Ram Sampath.

O Ri Chiraiya Song Details
Song Title: O Ri Chiraiya
Music Composer: Ram Sampath
Lyricist: Swanand Kirkire
Singer: Swanand Kirkire
Music Label: T-Series

O Ri Chiraiya
Nanhi si chidiya
Angnaa mein phir aaja re

O Ri Chiraiya
Nanhi si chidiya
Angnaa mein phir aaja re

Andhiyara hai ghana aur lahu se sana
Kirno ke tinke ambar se chunn ke
Angna mein phir aaja re
Humne tujhpe hazaro sitam hain kiye
Humne tujhpe jahaan bhar ke zulm kiye
Humne socha nahi
Tu jo ud jaayegi
Ye zameen tere bin sooni reh jaayegi
Kiske dum pe sajega angna mera

O Ri Chiraiya, meri Chiraiya
Angnaa mein phir aaja re
Tere pankho mein saare sitare jadu
Teri chunar satrangi bunu
Tere kaajal mein main kaali raina bharu
Teri mehandi mein main kacchi dhoop malu
Tere naino sajaa doon naya sapna

O Ri Chiraiya, meri Chiraiya
Angnaa mein phir aaja re

O Ri Chiraiya
Nanhi si chidiya
Angnaa mein phir aaja re
O Ri Chiraiya...

(Source of information mentioned above: Wikipedia)

Scroll down for Prologue

This story draws its inspiration from a case shown in the crime show "Crime Patrol" and some other real incidents and I have added some drama to the narrative.

June 2003

She was 18 now and had to leave the orphanage where she was brought up. Though she was sad that she had to leave this place where she had a lot of memories attached, she also had a bright future waiting for ahead and she was excited to go to a new place.

She came in the merit list in 10th board exams and was good at athletics. Looking at her talent and urge to study further, a kind hearted rich old man, whom she fondly called "Daadu" who was a friend of this orphanage's trustee, had sponsored her further education and took care of all her expenses, other than the donations that he made to orphanage.. She had again secured a spot in merit list in 12th board exams and got admission in a prestigious college in Mumbai and now when she was 18, she was moving to the college hostel.

Her Daadu wanted to adopt her but due to legal issues he couldn't as there was no surviving female member in his family. He lived with his 22 year old grandson Cheeku, after his wife, son and daughter-in-law's death. But he still considered her as his own granddaughter and his grandson too shared a warm and friendly bond with him. Cheeku helped her in studies. He also encouraged her to learn the martial arts for self defence in addition to athletics. Cheeku was more like a mentor to her. He was her idol.

After she packed her bags, she went to the administrative office to collect all the documents from the orphanage that she would need in future.

The orphanage manager was a kind hearted lady who adored her very much. She was in tears when she gave her the file of her documents. They hugged and the manager blessed her.

Daadu was going to send a car for her and while waiting for it she just flipped through the file that manager just gave her. She noticed that the file contained her birth certificate which had her parents name, a copy of FIR against her parents which mentioned their crime as "Abandoning a girl child" a letter from hospital which had a statement from the gynaecologist who was treating her mother, A Nurse and hospital admins that were given to police and final findings that mentioned as the case closed as her parents were absconding and their house locked.

She was in tears reading the doctor's and Nurse's statements

Doctor's statement: "That lady was my patient and was under constant pressure from her family to give birth to a male child and she was threatened with dire consequences if a girl child was born. She shared this with me every time she came for the check up. I was not in a position to help her and all I could do was just to console her and try to give counsel her. As expected, her family was not happy when this girl was born. They were not even ready to pay the bills and take her home. But suddenly something transpired. They paid the bills and took her home. After a few minutes, a nurse came to my cabin and told me that they have left this baby girl in the cradle and we informed the hospital authorities"

Nurse's statement: "I saw that lady and her husband leaving. She was tense and in tears. She was holding something close to her heart which looked like a baby. I thought that is her baby. I didn't care much about it. After some time i heard a baby's cry and found that baby girl crying who was hidden under the bed sheet in the cradle. It was evident that the lady had hidden the baby to avoid taking her home. I immediately informed the doctor and we contacted the hospital authorities."

She also found her parents address as per the hospital records.

Then she realized this is where orphanage manager had found and written this surname on her 10th board exams form which would be required for further documentation.

It broke her heart. All these years she was thinking that her parents were dead or may be not in a position to afford the expenses or worst case she was an illegitimate child whose identity was not known.

But knowing that she was abandoned because of being a girl child filled her heart with a hatred for the couple who brought her in this world. She could never forgive them. It was a scar on a delicate heart which was to remain forever... a wound never to be healed.

Her chain of thoughts was broken by sound of horn. Her Daadu and his grandson Cheeku had personally come to pick her up. He saw her wiping her tears when she came out after bidding good bye to everyone. At first he thought she was sad because she was leaving this place, but once in the car, he noticed a different pain in her eyes. She seemed to be suffocated. He just patted her hair and asked her if she is alright and she broke down giving him the file.

He opened the file and was shocked to read about her background. He too felt his eyes moistening. He closed the file and Cheeku took it and read and he too felt sad for her. Daadu cupped her face wiping her tears.

"Daadu... unhone mujhe isliye chhod diya kyunki mai ek ladki hoon?... ladka hoti to wo mujhe apne saath le jate... ? kya ladki hona itni buri baat hai? is it a crime? aur agar mai ladki hoon to ismein meri kya galti hai ??"

"Nahi beta... teri koi galti nahi hai... aur ladki hona bhi koi buri baat nahi... betiyan to ghar ki lakshmi hoti hain... bas mere ghar mein koi beti nahi thi na... to samajh le ki bhagwan ne isliye tujhe unse door kar diya... jisse ki tu meri beti ban jaye...aur ab bilkul rona nahi... ek nayi zindagi tera intezar kar rahi hai... tujhe apni padhayi poori karni hai... apni zindagi mein aagey badhna hai... hai na? to meri laadli aise royegi nahi... isiye ab ye aansoo poccho (wipes her tears) ... aur ab pyari si smile do... "

Cheeku: "aur haan... ye aansoo bacha ke rakho.. ab mai tujhe sirf teri shadi mein rotey huye dekhna chahta hoon... jab tu humein chhod ke apne sasural jayegi"

She glared at Cheeku and hugged Daadu. Daadu patted her hair consoling her and Cheeku kept on cracking jokes to make her feel good all the way to hostel where a new life was waiting for her.

Index

Hey Rukku baby...take a bow...

U've touched the nerve of every girl out there reading this...the article nd its data is so true...i dnt undrstnd why people do this...

Is this th same socity we call civilized and live in...why is it that always the girls have to suffer...matter we do anything...matter we make our name...matter we conquer even the world...bt still we'll be jst a liability...

WHY IS IT?
WHY IT HAS TO BE US?

Everytime! Every bloody time its only us who have to suffer in every way...!

A baby..in womb of her mother...waiting to see the world...waiting to live life...waiting to experience all th happiness in th world...bt thn she is punished for a crime whch she dnt even knw...she is either brutally killed or abandoned as soon as she sees th light out of darkness...what's her fault...jst because she has XX gene...jst coz she is a girl...yes it sounds ridiculous and it IS ridiculous.

If somehow she survives the harsh world...she is not yet safe out here...monsters with their lustful eyes on them are always behind them...

WE are neither safe in our mother's warmth nor out...

then a girl is again pressurized to give birth to only Boy child...If she dsnt' thn again the same cycle will start...dats wat we the women suffer in the greatest democracy of the world.

*************************

A very sensitive topic indeed...felt bad for th girl...at such a crucial stage opf her life she learnt abt the biggest truth abt herself...
Bt glad dat she has Daadu and Cheeku besides her...

Continue soon rukku
Love
Aisha

very heart touching concept.
Claps for u for such a wonderful write up
Loved d way u have written it
Hatts of to u
Bow down

sad but this is the truth ...my uncle was hospitalised due to a ailment for about a month and within that span in that hospital 2 children were abandoned coz they were girls

Superb concept Di...

That's was awesome
Very nice topic for ff
Hope that awareness shud occur
How the ppl kill their own child
Ridiculous
Thank for pm
Update soon

unres