Someone once said, India is a country that lives simultaneously in three centuries! There are dads who are sending their daughters to wrestle for the country and then, there are a few who marry off their 6-year-old! When I read these stories, I cannot help but wonder how bizarre these dads are!
1# The story of Lumbaram
Lumbaram, a sinewy labourer from a small village in Rajasthan, agreed to a marriage proposal for his daughter, Durga. Durga was just 15 years old. But that is not the sad part. She was getting married to a man 40 years of age, who was a known drunkard. His lechery was evident during the marriage ceremony itself when he was touching his soon-to-be bride in an inappropriate manner. Lumbaram sensed that, but could not do anything that day. But he made a vow to rescue her.
Durga was not his only daughter that got married that day. He married off his other two daughters, a 10-year-old and a 6-year-old to save money. However, the other two grooms were also children, so he was not worried about his younger daughters as of yet.
Lumbaram realised he had made a mistake during the ceremony. He was pressurised into a swap marriage - someone agreed to marry their daughter to his brother if he married his daughter to someone from their family. This is a common scenario in rural India. Neither he nor his wife could do anything about it.
But all hope was not lost! Lumbaram had always wanted to be educated. He was made to drop out of school and earn money. He wanted his daughters, at least to study. The school in the village did not provide secondary education, and Lumbaram could not afford the expenses of sending his girls away. Luckily, an NGO approached the village offering free education and boarding for girls. Lumbaram was the only dad who agreed to send his daughters.
And this is how he saved Durga. He told the groom that Durga would only join her husband when she finished her education. He kept the wolf from the door for six years till Durga finished her exams. But these six years were not spent idle. He spread awareness about child marriage and the importance of education for girls throughout the village. Due to him, many more girls joined the school that the NGO would run.
He stressed that girls could become someone when they were educated. They would get the courage to speak up against domestic violence. They could also earn money and help in running the house. He appealed for Durga's divorce on the grounds that she was educated and her husband was not!
(Story and image source: NPR.org)
Hats off to this dad!
Read about Mahesh Savani, the man who married off 111 daughters
2# The story of Mahesh Savani
This Surat-based businessman has an unusual hobby-he marries off daughters!
Don't get me wrong! He is not some monster marrying away his daughters against their wishes. He is the guardian angel of girls who have been orphaned.
Mahesh Savani helps orphan girls get married. He arranges their weddings and helps them to set up their home! He has performed kanyadaan for more than 400 such girls till the date! In 2014, he threw a lavish wedding for 111 such girls together. He also gave them gifts to start their families.
Mahesh is a true social hero. He does not see caste when it comes to helping someone. He thinks that this is his way of giving back to the society.
India needs more such men. Not because daughters need someone to perform kanyadaan. No. Daughters need fathers on the wedding day because it is a special bond. They have someone to be their safety net, in case things go wrong. And that is exactly what Mahesh Savani is!
(Story: TOI; Image: Outlook Business)
To know more about Sanjeev Jain, the father who donated his daughter's eyes, read on
3# The story of Sanjeev Jain
I cannot fathom the grief of a parent whose child passes away. Bhawana, the 20-year-old daughter of the Jain family from Kanpur, passed away recently. However, her father, Sanjeev Jain, took a rare step and decided to donate her eyes.
Cornea transplant is generally successful and provides a ray of hope to those people who have lost their vision due to corneal damage. The decision to donate needs to be taken immediately and the transplant is done as soon as possible. Sanjeev and his family took the difficult decision in their grief and today, two people regained their eyesight because of it.
Sanjeev is happy that even in her death, the daughter lives on as the eyes of Razia Begum and Daljeet.
Fathers may have to take difficult decisions. At times, they have to do something that is not good for their daughters. But real dads correct their mistakes. A few more understand the special place a father has in the eyes of a daughter. Some take tough decisions so that their daughters end up living even after her death.
(Story: TOI )
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(Image courtesy: NPR.org)
