India's 2011 census shows a serious decline in the number of girls under the age of seven - activists fear eight million female foetuses may have been aborted in the past decade. The BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi explores what has led to this crisis.
Kulwant has three daughters aged 24, 23 and 20 and a son who is 16.
In the years between the birth of her third daughter and her son, Kulwant became pregnant three times.
Kulwant still has vivid memories of the first abortion. "The baby was nearly five months old. She was beautiful. I miss her, and the others we killed," she says, breaking down, wiping away her tears.
Until her son was born, Kulwant's daily life consisted of beatings and abuse from her husband, mother-in-law and brother-in-law. Once, she says, they even attempted to set her on fire.
"They were angry. They didn't want girls in the family. They wanted boys so they could get fat dowries," she says.
India outlawed dowries in 1961, but the practice remains rampant and the value of dowries is constantly growing, affecting rich and poor alike.
Kulwant's husband died three years after the birth of their son. "It was the curse of the daughters we killed. That's why he died so young," she says.
In the years between the birth of her third daughter and her son, Kulwant became pregnant three times.
My mother-in-law said if I had a daughter, my husband would leave me. Thankfully, I had a son.”
Deepali Sah
Health worker
Each time, she says, she was forced to abort the foetus by her family after ultrasound tests confirmed that they were girls.
"My mother-in-law taunted me for giving birth to girls. She said her son would divorce me if I didn't bear a son." Kulwant still has vivid memories of the first abortion. "The baby was nearly five months old. She was beautiful. I miss her, and the others we killed," she says, breaking down, wiping away her tears.
Until her son was born, Kulwant's daily life consisted of beatings and abuse from her husband, mother-in-law and brother-in-law. Once, she says, they even attempted to set her on fire.
"They were angry. They didn't want girls in the family. They wanted boys so they could get fat dowries," she says.
India outlawed dowries in 1961, but the practice remains rampant and the value of dowries is constantly growing, affecting rich and poor alike.
Kulwant's husband died three years after the birth of their son. "It was the curse of the daughters we killed. That's why he died so young," she says.
You Know Who You Are!
Finding you has been the luckiest day in my life so far.
All this time I thought I've always had the best friendships in the world but boy, did I know nothing.
Then you came along, poking and prodding me, calling me names, telling me I'm alright, making sure I know I am a strong, beautiful person. You don't say much but I can see the me in your eyes, the person I want to be.
The miracle is, I am that person already when I'm with you.
You see right through me and find no fault in me. Because of you I've embraced the whole me and happy with the way I am like never before.
I know I have asked you before but I still wonder what in the heck you saw in me that someone as cool as you think me cool too :)
All this time I thought I've always had the best friendships in the world but boy, did I know nothing.
Then you came along, poking and prodding me, calling me names, telling me I'm alright, making sure I know I am a strong, beautiful person. You don't say much but I can see the me in your eyes, the person I want to be.
The miracle is, I am that person already when I'm with you.
You see right through me and find no fault in me. Because of you I've embraced the whole me and happy with the way I am like never before.
I know I have asked you before but I still wonder what in the heck you saw in me that someone as cool as you think me cool too :)
I Stole Another Girls Picture.
I am an African-American girl who is pretending to be a blonde blue eyed
girl online. I found her pictures and used them for my profile so that
guys would want to talk to me online. Mostly I just did it because no
one really wants to talk to chubby girls and I liked the confidence
boost I got from their compliments. I know it was wrong, but I never
meant to hurt anyone. I had never started anything serious or even
talked to someone under my alias for more than a day or two, it was all
just innocent conversations with random guys who were probably lying
too. But then I met this guy who was different. He was an honest and
sweet and we have so much in common that we fell in love. I never meant
for it to happen, and I didn't start talking to him with the intention
of starting a serious relationship. But now its almost a year later and
we've been dating for 7 months. I honestly love him with all of my heart
and the guilt from lying is tearing me apart. I've tried to break it
off with him so many times but he just won't let go. I know this is all
of my fault and I don't want to just disappear and leave it alone
because I know it would devastate him.
I've convinced myself that it doesn't matter that I'm lying to him because we could never be with each other anyway. (We live on opposite sides of the country and are both really close to our families so neither of us wants to move) And because I've never lied about anything but my name and what I look like ( which I know are two very basic and important things so who am I kidding) but he always says that he fell in love with my personality. That my looks are just a bonus and that he loves who I am more than what I look like. I know that I should tell him, or that I should end the relationship so he won't waste his life with me, but I just don't know how. If I tell him best case scenario, he hates me then forgives me and says he wants to be with me. But that won't really change anything because we still can't be with each other in person, because of how far away we live. So why should I hurt him? What's the point if it doesn't change anything except ease my guilt? Doesn't that make me selfish? I don't know anymore. Can someone please help me? I honestly believed I was a good person before all this but now I just don't know. Am I a sick individual? Is there something wrong with me that I could lie to the person I love for so long?
I've convinced myself that it doesn't matter that I'm lying to him because we could never be with each other anyway. (We live on opposite sides of the country and are both really close to our families so neither of us wants to move) And because I've never lied about anything but my name and what I look like ( which I know are two very basic and important things so who am I kidding) but he always says that he fell in love with my personality. That my looks are just a bonus and that he loves who I am more than what I look like. I know that I should tell him, or that I should end the relationship so he won't waste his life with me, but I just don't know how. If I tell him best case scenario, he hates me then forgives me and says he wants to be with me. But that won't really change anything because we still can't be with each other in person, because of how far away we live. So why should I hurt him? What's the point if it doesn't change anything except ease my guilt? Doesn't that make me selfish? I don't know anymore. Can someone please help me? I honestly believed I was a good person before all this but now I just don't know. Am I a sick individual? Is there something wrong with me that I could lie to the person I love for so long?
Beauty Tips.
Are you conscious about your skin? Do you want to make it better? Yes? The following beauty tip is the best content written for you.
Owning a perfect skin with a glowing
complexion is every girl’s biggest wish. For achieving this wish, many
young girls go to any extend in order to make themselves look prettier
all the time. There are millions of beauty products which are available in the markets today, accompanied by thousands of beauty tips.
With the advancements in technology and more awareness amongst people;
consultations with doctors, beauticians and dieticians are becoming very
popular regarding the skin problems and treatments. But this best and the simplest beauty tip for getting everlasting glowing and smooth skin is to use and drink lots and lots of water.
Water is basically of two types; the
hard water and the soft water. Hard water contains different harsh
chemicals which can damage the skin and result too many different
problems. But soft water is the best option for getting a softer and
smoother skin. Therefore, it is very important to know that the skin must
only be washed with good quality of water so that it does not get
exposed to harsh chemicals in water that can affect the skin badly.
Another beauty tip regarding the use of water for skin is that never wash your face
area with hot water. It results in opening of pores which leads to
blackheads, wrinkles etc. Always avoid hot water for cleaning your face
and use cold water instead. Even when taking a bath under a hot water
shower, avoid exposing the facial area skin to hot water.
Drinking water frequently is an excellent and most
inexpensive beauty tip. Those women who drink water at least 5-6 glasses
a day; their skin is seen to be more glowing and smooth as compared to
other women. Water is the most pure and effective cleanser and moisturizer
for the skin. It hydrates the skin and keeps on flushing the toxins out
of the body. A good amount of water intake helps in quick heeling of
wounds, cleaning of the entire systems of the body and prevents the body
from dehydration.
People who do not drink water frequently and rather prefer going to a beautician and doctor for getting a smooth and glowing skin
are doing great harm to themselves. They are wasting their time and
money on useless stuff when there is a free blessing available to them
in the form of water.
The best and the safest beauty tip
that you can rely on is to carry a bottle of water with yourself
wherever you go and drink it sip by sip from time to time. Or if
possible, drink a glass of water after every hour and you will feel the
difference in your body and skin yourself.
Happy drinking Water!
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