Grave Of The Fireflies

“September 10, 2003 is the day I died. It was my dream to be a lawyer
or perhaps even a surgeon of renown. However it was the fatal blow
that was delivered with a resounding finality that ended it all. And
in those last dying moments I wondered - Why do fireflies die so
young? - For I never quite understood why.”

It is perhaps the nature of the human consciousness that decries the
taking of life. However social conventions that culture consists of
are something of a paradox and at times harbor a perception that is a
reflection of an age that beckons to the annals of time as a mere
memory. While it is imperative that we hearken to the wisdom of our
venerable past then we must also possess the temerity to denounce
anachronistic conventions that no longer hold any relevance.

Such is the problem with the social perception of women as India
enters the 21st century which is undoubtedly paradoxical. The
startling statistics that reveal India’s declining sex ratio in the
first decade of the new millennium depicts a bleak scenario. The sex
ratio is the lowest recorded since 1961. Much of this has to do with
women being perceived as being the weaker sex and something of a
burden despite them acquiring greater prominence with the roles they
espouse in areas of science, engineering and technology. It is all the
more astounding that incidents of female foeticide in urban areas are
greater than those in rural areas owing to an easier access to
technology.

For an abortion is wanton murder, simply put. And it is disturbing to
learn that incidents of female foeticide are more wide spread amongst
the educated class thus raising questions about our moral values.

The failure of the education system in doing away with the marked
preference for a male child is sad. Thus there is an urgent need to
remedy this poignant situation and while increased vigilance may
prevent incidents of female foeticide there is still a need to bring
about a greater awareness. For only then can the masses bring about a
paradigm shift and a lasting change.