Meet Veerwati: A Real life 'Veer'

 "My husband left me immediately upon delivery of my third baby girl; He had always wanted a boy"- Veerwati 

Veerwati with her daughter at Phagwara Bus Stand in Punjab 

I see two Indias in India; One, where artists like Nora Fatehi have the privilege to talk about Feminism, and the other, where mothers like ' Veerwati' toil day and night just to earn a meager living. Today, where the world talks about ' Alpha males' and ' Alpha females', there is a country within the country of India where these concepts fail to exist. 

A Dialogue with Veerwati

"You have a family of four. How do you manage to take care of the finances in addition to being a lactating mother?", this was the first question I asked ' Veerwati' who hails from Shahjahanpur in UP  and had come to Punjab ten years ago in search of better opportunities with her husband. " I sometimes do petty jobs at Dana Mandi in Phagwara and during the off-season, I beg here with all my kids" replied Veerwati in a mournful tone. " And what happened to your husband? Is he not with you anymore?" I asked. " No. My husband is a drunker. He left us after the delivery of our third child who happened to be a baby girl. He had always wanted a baby boy", she replied in a tragic tone. This answer from Veerwati sent shivers through my spine. I was so shocked at this discovery. Today, where India is focussing on women-led development, there are still numerous women in India who themselves need development. So, this blog is dedicated to millions of "veerwatis" in India whose stories need to be heard.

Story of this Unheard "Veer (brave)" woman

• Veerwati hails from UP's Shahjahanpur. She had lost her parents long ago when she was a child. So, she was born and brought up by her aunt. She does not remember even a single happy memory from her childhood.
•  She was just seventeen when her aunty married her off. At the time of her marriage, she was hopeful of a better future with her husband. But who knew that her life would be devasted. 
• Soon after her marriage, the couple migrated to Phagwara in Punjab for better employment opportunities.
•  They both started doing menial jobs in Dana Mandi. Soon, Veerwati delivered her first child - a baby boy.
•  Her husband was on cloud nine. Everything was going quite smoothly until her husband started drinking alcohol. As time passed by, fights and violence became more frequent between the couple. 
• After two years, Veerwati was blessed with another child but this time a baby girl. But, Veer's husband never wanted a girl. So, violence became more and more common. Hopeful of a boy, 
• Veerwati soon delivered her third child. Again, a baby girl. 
• Soon after, Veerwati was abandoned by her husband. This was a shattering experience for Veer. Now, she had to take care of the three kids on her own. " Why didn't you go back to your paternal house?, I asked. " Because my aunty would kill me if I went back. In our community, ' ladkiyaan doli par ghar see jaati hain aur arthi par hi vapis aati hai'', she replied. " And why don't you take advantage of the government schemes like Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Garib Kalyan Yojana,  ?", I asked. " Because I have lost all my documents such as Aadhar Card", she replied in a low tone. " Right now, I only know that I have to earn two meals a day for my kids. My kids are my priority and I live just for them. I know my life is not as good as yours but I have accepted it as destiny", she added.  

 In today's world, where taking care of even one kid is a massive and capital-intensive task, Veerwati takes care of three kids on her own. Fiver years ago, she had become a mother. But after the delivery of her third child, she is not just a mother but a father too. Veerwati is truly a veer. 

My analysis

Veerwati's situation has multiple layers that are as follows:

1. Poverty: Today, where India aspires to be a superpower by 2030, poverty is still prevalent in India. According to a 2024 State Bank of India (SBI) study, India's poverty rate was between 4.5% and 5% in 2022–2023, with rural poverty at 7.2% and urban poverty at 4.6%. 
2. Lack of sex education: Women play the most significant role in population control. For that, sex education should be imparted especially among women. According to a 2019 article, only 15% of people between the ages of 15 and 19 have had access to sex education in India. 
3. Lack of women's safety: Even after laws like the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act of 2005, numerous women in India fail to report domestic violence cases against them to the police. This could be due to various reasons such as societal pressure, lack of awareness, etc.
4. Lack of awareness: Women like Veerwati lack awareness about Suvidha Centres, government schemes, etc. So, more emphasis on awareness campaigns should be given.