I was on my break when I got the
call. The best I could manage was a feeble and hardly discernable squawk though
my Medu Wada filled mouth. My wife told me she was pregnant with our first
child. For a few moments I was blank as the words didn’t quite compute. Don’t
get me wrong, a child was something we both had decided on and had been trying
for a few months, but still sometimes thinking about it and discussing it doesn’t
really prepare you for “The Real Thing”. After the first few minutes of going
thru various stages of confusion, cold sweats, happiness and of course mild
doubt. It could be a false alarm after all. So I finally managed to take
control of my feelings and went home to celebrate and congratulate my wife.
After the first few days of
excitement, I began to worry. I was happy but I began to worry. And I began to
pray. I began to pray my child would not be a girl. I prayed not because I didn’t
want a girl child. I did. I prayed because I was afraid. I was afraid of the
trials and hardships she would have to go thru all her life. I prayed because I
would not be able to shelter her from them. I prayed because of the terrible
things that happen to women in our country and around the world.
Am I paranoid? My friends
definitely think so. Maybe I am. Or maybe I’m not. But here are some things
that make me worried. According to a UN Index in 2011, India ranked 134th
out of 187 countries, the index included details from women in politics to
sexual health to education and employment. India was ranked lower that China
and Saudi Arabia. Yes you read that right. I live in Mumbai and I’ve always
heard people say what a safe city this is. Seriously? My women friends tell me
quite otherwise. They are groped on buses and trains, auto rickshaws, followed
and eve teased. Or maybe this is paranoia. But then why would most of my lady
friends, even my wife make this up. A few years back an ex-boyfriend threatened
my sister with acid, and demanded two lac rupees to keep the details of their
relationship under wraps. She promptly told him to shove it where the sun don’t
shine and that was the end of that. But I shudder to think of the consequences.
My friends tell me this is part of life in the city but I am unconvinced. My lady
friends tell me they ignore it when they can. But is that really the solution? Why
should our women, our mothers and our sisters, our wives or our daughters, have
to put up with this?
I don’t know the answers. I only
have my questions…. And my fears.
My daughter was born on the 9th
of July 2011. I love her and hope I can do my best to give her a balanced
childhood and the strength to face the dangers of this world. And as a father I
can only pray that God looks down on all his children.
