Let the girls breathe free

I, being born as a princess

The Sumptuous Golden laddus*

Were replaced by the Sober Kaju-katli*

And instead of showering me with love

My well-wishers advised my genitor

To retry his luck

Alongside mainstream studies

I'm evolving memorizing interminable discourses

On morals, virtues and behavior

My parents adore me the most

But about my dowry and life's journey They keep worrying more

My limits are set

And the rules cannot be flexed

My list of do's and don'ts is endless

My struggle to succeed is onerous

Still withstanding all the coercion

I always stand strong

With intense fidelity and conviction

I dare to look beyond the horizon

Coz I strongly believe

In my candid disposition

So what if I'm a girl

Just release my anchor and set me free

Let me be guided by my own curiosity

For I have my dreams to accompany me

I do not fear this vast ocean

When I imagine it's far away horizon

For owing to my zeal, tenacity and perseverance

I have the capacity to achieve my vision

When I strongly opine my perspective and approach

And say that I too can take-on the world

In lieu of raising your brows

Just try to believe in my resolve

That I too am equipped

To conquer the unknown

Release my anchor and break my bonds Push me amongst those waves

For I am sure to sail

Do not underestimate me just because I'm a girl

'Coz to withstand life's harsh tides

I am still qualified

*laddus - An Indian sweet made of gram flour

*kaju katli- An indian sweet made up of cashews

(The shape and colors are different)

Friends,

Even today in a fast developing country like ours, girls and their rights are looked down upon.

Right from her birth to her education to her preferences and priorities, a girl and her wishes are never given a priority.

When a girl child is born and they say, “Mubarak ho, aapke ghar laxmi aayi hai (Congratulations, goddess laxmi has come to your house), it sounds so superficial as though ‘ladka ladki ek samaan’ (Son and Daughter are same) is advertised but nobody extends that warm welcome to the girl child as they do when a male child is born.

Those words ‘ab jaake is parivaar ko vaaris mila’ (Now the family has got it's true heir) when a son is born demean all the efforts being made to create an atmosphere of equilibrium in society.

And even if the parents do, the society doesn't let them live freely with their choice. “Are, try nahi kiya kya dobara. Kaash ek ladka bhi ho jaaye” (Oh didn't you try again for a boy, may Almighty bless you with one, only then will your family be complete) etc. etc. Such words keeping echoing and piercing their heart wherever they go.

The situation worsens if siblings are a brother-sister pair. “Please bacha, bhai ke liye itna to banta hai. Bhai hai vo tera”( come on dear, after all he's your brother. You've got to do at least this for him), she is reminded at every stage.

At every step she's supposed to become a ‘tyaag ki devi’(Goddess of sacrifice).

It is her duty to compromise everything in life - her dreams, desires, wishes, goals, even the way she wants to live.

Right from her clothes to her studies to her career to her ambition the society decides what is right for her and what is not.

Not only in today's modern world but right from times immemorial feminine energy has proven herself and her supremacy time and again but still she is questioned for every step she takes.

From Laxmi to Durga and Saraswati to Kaali

From Padmavati to Laxmibai and Savitri Bai Phule to Begum Hazrat Mahal to Ahilya Bai Holkar

From Indira Gandhi to Sushma Swaraj and Aruna Asaf Ali to Sarojini Naidu

From Annie Besant to Kiran bedi and Medha Patkar to Mother Teresa

From Kalpana Chawla to Sunita Williams and Aishwarya Rai to Arundhati Roy

These are just to name a few. There are thousands more in the endless list of women who have marked a niche of their own.

In addition to this every second woman is striving hard to sustain her dependents.

This lady is the same girl child who is looked down upon since her birth but still stands strong whenever the need arises.

She is a homemaker

She is a breadwinner

And to her children

She is the first teacher

Still she is considered

The section weaker

It's time to ponder why

It's time to find answers

It's time to discuss and discern

That in spite of all the positive efforts a woman takes

Why is she still looked down upon

Why is the birth of a girl child still taken as a burden when she has become equally capable of supporting her family and their needs.

Why is she not granted equal rights when she is hand in hand performing equal duties as a son would do.

Why is she not showered with the same love and affection when she carries in her heart same emotions?

Why is she confined in boundaries when she can fly equally high

And why is she asked to carry herself according to society when she is born an equally free soul.

Today when a girl is raped or molested, her clothes, her attitude, her behavior and her morality is questioned. Why?

What about infant girls and senior women? Are they too immoral?

Why is this sick mentality still thriving that a girl has to be blamed for everything that goes wrong with her.

That she is considered a burden.

That she is supposed to follow all the rules and regulations framed for her.

Why can she not be just taken as an individual who has been created to make a niche of her own.

Even in the present scenario when women's rights and equality is being discussed all over the world, the micro society is still hell bent upon following the age old mindset of looking down upon the girl child.

And this needs to be uprooted on grassroot level.

The girl child doesn't need anyone's sympathy.

She just needs her space in the world.

She just needs her fair chance.

She just needs her space on this earth

And independence to do what she desires to.

Isn't it.

What do you think.

Please share as comments

And let's all connect to change the sick mindset of the world towards girls.

Ashu Verma Chaubey