Once again!

Disillusion!!!! Ever since I have started working in the sector, this has been a common, sort of - once every while - feeling.

In 2003 when I was working in Gujarat we came to know, people from outside Gujarat come here to find brides. This time in 2012 there is more to this story. For quite some time now the girls from the tribal belt of Gujarat are arranged  to get married to men of all ages, income, religion, etc. There are agents who decide the amount to be paid  for the 'girl'. The amount varies from Rs30000 - few lakhs. Main criteria being age of the girl and the age of the man.

We spoke to a man, age 40 years, still unmarried, who went to these agents to find a girl for himself. It is like a mela he said. The girls are brought in a jeep (like cattle transported from one place to another).

Interestingly these agents also help girls to run away after staying few days with the husband. The same agents then arrange another marriage for them. It is emerging as a kind of prostitution.

 I do not have actual data on the money transfers but it is understood that these girl and their family get little of the total transaction. It is also reported in some cases the girl looted the boys family and ran away.

It doesnot stop with female foeticide, if poor tribal girls survive they have worst to deal with .

And how can we help?

Where do I belong?

Just came back after a week's stay in Gujarat.  I have never thought about my origin. What are my roots?

Happened to meet a 'Romani' (an ethnic community also known as gypsies). He came to marag office because we work with pastoralist and nomadic communities. He was a tall guy who could easily pass as an Indian. Romanis believe that their community originated from a place called Kannauj in UP. I think he said he was from Serbia.

The reason he was here was to find someone who could help him find his 'roots'. His community has gone through change in faith and religion on many occasions in recent history.  Still his assumption was to find his connections based on language. He believed if they originated from here there might be communities or people who still use few words which are common or have common roots.

His search took him to Rajasthan. Somebody introduced him to a group of people outside Pushkar temple as gypsies of Rajasthan. He asked them what was their occupation. To his utter dismay he was told ' we are beggars and begging is our occupation.' Of course he found no common words. But he was so so disappointed and sad to hear begging as occupation of the 'gypsies'.

He was not very hopeful. He almost believed he will never find his origin, from where they came!!