According to a long-standing custom in the Dharhara hamlet of Bihar, fruit-bearing trees are planted to secure the future of every girl child. Later on, the fruits and trees will be sold to raise money for the girl's marriage and education. These trees serve as an insurance for the girl’s secure future.
It has been an admirable practice with few parallels in a country where the safety of girls is a huge concern. The lives of girl children are often abruptly terminated by female foeticide even before their birth. Those who survive live to face discrimination of all kinds, domestic violence in marriages, and sexual harassment in public spaces.
Thankfully, Dharhara has been spared from these atrocities. The dusty village can be reached through a winding, dangerous road. Perhaps that is what has kept the scourges at bay. In the village, the trees are family. The birth of every girl child is celebrated by planting mango trees and singing songs. The village’s reputation has expanded along with the trees.
The villagers of Dharhara have served two purposes - that of environmental conservation and gender sensitivity. More significantly, Dharhara has a greater female-to-male ratio than the national norm, demonstrating that the village’s communal tree-planting efforts are paying off. In contrast to the national average of 940 per 1,000 males, it currently stands at 957 for every 1,000 males.
Leading state police officers have commended Dharhara for having a perfect record when it comes to crimes against women. The village can serve as a model for the rest of India because it is extremely conscious of its social impact and reputation. The villagers claim that the planting of mango trees, which was initiated by their ancestors approximately 200 years ago, has deeply ingrained itself in the ethos of the place. Other villagers find comfort in the knowledge that their daughter’s future is safe as they gaze upon the magnificent mango trees.
The villagers have been practicing this tradition for decades, and it is undeniable that the mango trees have saved the lives of girls in the community of Dharhara. As long as the village is blessed with girls, this wonderful initiative will continue!
Image source: Asianet news, Sikhnet, Gulf news