AHMEDABAD: January 29 was the happiest day in nearly two decades for the Asrani household in Hatkeshwar — a girl child was born. And the occasion called for a big, fat celebration. So, Swara, “the little princess”, was accorded a royal welcome on Monday by her grandfather Narendra Asrani, a singer by profession.
She was brought home in a horse-drawn carriage, with a band of musicians playing dikri maari ladakvayi, lakshmi no avatar, ey soove toh raat pade ne jaage toh savaar – a lullaby made famous by ghazal singer Manhar Udhas. Interestingly, this lullaby was inspired by the original tune – dikro maaro ladakvayo – dedicated to a male child.
The grand celebration was also Narendrabhai’s way of sending across a message to the society that a girl child deserves to be celebrated, not abandoned. It was an emotional moment for her parents Harsh and Jyoti, too. “Usually, we come across news about mothers being tortured for delivering girls or newborn girls being abandoned in garbage bins. We have always wished that our family should be blessed with at least one girl child. So, when we received the news that Jyoti had delivered a girl, I could not contain my happiness,” said Narendrabhai, “The household has been bereft of a girl child’s laughter for two decades now. Not anymore.”
Narendrabhai has eight brothers and five sons. None of Harsh’s cousins have daughters either. So, when Swara was born, Narendrabhai called up his friends and relatives, seeking “original ideas” to welcome his granddaughter home.
“Some suggested that we should shower flower petals on the mother and the baby; some said we should play good melodies. Some asked me to bring Swara home in a buggy decorated with posters that appealed to the people to save the girl child. I mixed all the ideas to give her a grand welcome,” he said.
Swara’s parents were informed about a “little gift” awaiting them just when they were to leave for home. “When we walked out of the hospital, we were surprised to see the buggy and the band. There could not have been a better way of welcoming our daughter,” said Harsh.
As the procession entered Vrundavan Apartments on Monday, curious residents came out of their homes and soon joined in the celebrations.
“Everyone was clapping. The girl child’s arrival has spread a lot of joy,” said Harshad Patel, a family friend.
