In 2020, a Navratri sans women?

Sudhakar Rao / TNN / Sep 25, 2006, 00:46 IST

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If female foeticide is not curbed, by 2020, one may not be able to see girls playing garba in the state - which already has a highly skewed sex ratio.

VADODARA: Imagine a garba without girls flaunting backless chaniya cholis. Quite a scary thought, at least for young men.
If female foeticide is not curbed, by 2020, one may not be able to see girls playing garba in the state — which already has a highly skewed sex ratio.
This is precisely what an NGO is trying to drill into the minds of youths at garba venues here through banners and verbally in a bid to create awareness about female foeticide.
Gujarat Gaurav Samiti (GGS), an NGO has taken up a 'Save the girl child' campaign and they have chosen Navratri as a platform to propagate their message. A banner saying "Arre Kyan Gayi Mari Saahelio" (Where are my girlfriends?) hangs at some of the most popular garba venues in the city.

"We are also displaying our messages through big screens that are put up at garba venues during the recess time," says Suresh Patani of GGS.
"Garba has predominantly been a women's festival and we want to tell people that if female foeticide is not curbed, by 2020, there will be no girls playing garba," says Patani.
The NGO will also distribute leaflets giving messages such as "Tamari Ladli No Pokar! Beti Bachao" (Your daughters' voice! Save the girl).

"Our target audience is young males and families, who will be visiting the garba venues," adds Patani. "It is known that people belonging to well-to-do and educated families go for sex determination tests and female foeticide.We will be able to address this population during Navratri celebrations," say GGS officials, who also have doctors and various other personalities from different backgrounds as their members.
"We have long been campaigning against female foeticide, but we chose Navratri to propagate the theme as it is one of the most popular festivals of Gujarat," said Bipin Patel of GGS.

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