Desi girl

 

 

 

BY DR. SUVARNA BAPAT  

 

 

“MADAM ji sweet” Budhi offered me sweets from a small box. I looked at her, bit puzzled. She was so much full of emotions that she couldn’t utter a single word. There was somebody hiding behind the curtains. Chanda came from behind the curtains. Dark complexion, pale figure, shy, expressive eyes, Chanda daughter of Bhudi my cook, came forward and touched my feet. Madam ji I have topped in my school. I was overjoyed. I blessed her and embraced her. The dream she and her parents had pursued had come true. Chanda had the calibre and strength to fight against all odds and be victorious. I gifted her beautiful pen from my collection. With twinkling eyes she accepted the gift and went away hopping weaving yet another new ambition for her future. I needed to talk with Budhi to vent the turmoil going inside her. Budhi recalled when she left her village with her husband a carpenter by profession for the betterment of her daughters future every other men in the village criticised them for taking a wrong route just for a girl child. They were of the opinion that the girl child should get married early and should learn to shoulder the responsibility of the family.

 

Budhi and her family had to face many challenges when they shifted to this new city. Belonging to a remote village Chanda was taunted to be a desi girl. Her attire was made fun off. But today this desi girl had proved her metal. The desi girl had earned laurels for her family and her community too. She had achieved this through hard work, determination and of course strong support by her parents. The wheels of success are whirring in fast motion for girls especially those belonging to the small towns. And Chanda is one of them who had gathered momentum to shatter the glass ceiling and move on. Chanda is not one such example but there are thousands of such desi girls who are struggling to achieve successful outcome. The participation of women in all field from politics, sports, arm forces, academics, stock market trading, space science to entrepreneurship is a remarkable feature of 21st century.

 

The ruling party has largest number of women MPs in parliament. The Nari Shakti Adhiniyam reserves 33 per cent seats in Parliament and State Assemblies for women. The women empowerment is clearly visible. In remote villages even today gender discrimination prevails. Men are considered more superior than women. Girls and women are deprived from their rights and are never given a chance to prove their metal. But now this scenario won’t last for long. Definitely a stormy revolution is underway which will break all the barriers and the desi girl will be seen in the fast and furious mode itching new stories for coming generations to remember.