Shimla (Himachal Pradesh): Lahaul-Spiti, touted as India's cold desert, there has not been a single rape case in the last three years.
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Not only that, it is women who play a significant role in agriculture and horticulture in the valley. Here, the child sex ratio is the highest in India and crime against women is negligible.
The child sex ratio is also the highest in the country, with 1033 girls against 1000 boys here. It may be noted that the female literacy rate in the region is also excellent. Other states of India too need to learn a meaningful message about women's empowerment from this cold desert, wherein the culture of respecting a woman is taught.
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Also, the birth of a baby girl in the region is considered auspicious and is celebrated in a very grand manner. Here female infanticide is considered a serious offence.
The birth of a baby girl is celebrated
In Lahaul-Spiti, the birth of daughters is considered auspicious and celebrated on a grand scale. They are given all opportunities to move forward in life and there is no discussion about social evils like dowry. Due to the importance given to daughters, the evil of dowry is virtually absent in Lahaul-Spiti.
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Whether it is agriculture or issues related to the domestic front, it is women who take all significant decisions. Not just this, women also take financial decisions at home. It is also ensured that boys and girls from Lahaul who attend higher education in Shimla, stay connected to their traditions.
The youth of Lahaul Spiti are connected to their roots
Sushant Kumar, Ajay Paul and Pramod who used to be active in the Lahaul-Spiti Students Union are proud of their traditions. Ajay Paul who is currently a bank officer in Meerut, says that the daughters of Lahaul-Spiti are treated with respect and that the youth who have gone out to study together help the girls in every possible way.
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Ajay Paul recalls the youth of Lahaul collecting funds towards bearing the medical expenditure of a girl who had to undergo surgery in PGI Chandigarh after her family was unable to bear the expenses.
Women in command of every job
Dr Ram Lal Markanda, the Cabinet Minister of Himachal Government who hails from Lahaul-Spiti is overwhelmed by the tremendous respect women are accorded in the region. The Minister says that women live on the front line from fields to gardens and from house to other fronts. All important decisions of the house are taken with the consent of women. Even the festivals held in Lahaul, are taken care of only by women.
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Dr Markanda says that the culture of Lahaul is to honour women and hence the crime against women is zero. There is also no question of assault or domestic violence against women. Recently, a question related to Crime Against Women in the Legislative Assembly had revealed that there was no case of rape in the entire Lahaul-Spiti in three years.
Culture of respecting women
It is indeed the culture of respecting women, that has led to social evils like female foeticide from flourishing. This also explains the reason why there is a high child sex ratio in Lahaul and Spiti. Kunga Dechen, a native of Lahaul -Spiti who is proud of her culture, says that the cases of crime against women are unheard of as the youth of Lahaul do not forget their culture. Even Shalini Rai states that the question of domestic violence does not arise, as her father never raised his hand on any child.
