The wind beneath my WINGS

Source - Indian Express, Chandigarh - Sheveta Bhatia

 

The turmoil is evident. Both inside and outside. Blasts creating an unrest nationally, the want for power forming its nest of insecurity in the mind and the unjust social pressures eating up the system...amidst the chaos, we've neglected the basic: "The plight of the building blocks - women, the today and tomorrow of our society," says Anandmurti Gurumaa, as she greets turns the pages of her book 'Shakti, The Feminine Energy'. It was at the book launch in Panchkula that we got to go beyond the cover. "This is a tribute to women and will help them discover the power and grace within," says Gurumaa, who feels that despite the 'modernism', women are still not enlightened enough and are mentally, physically and intellectually dependent.

"They still have a long way to go. They need to walk the path of self healing and should understand that they have a right to live life their own way." Women, she feels, need to stand up and voice out their rights and expand their horizon to achieve holistic fulfillment" And for this, she needs to be educated, aware, have the ability to make decisions," Gurumaa's remedy lies in yoga, meditation and chanting mantras, not for God, but for the self. "For they have the precise structure to heal the mind and build on concentration," Gurumaa reveals the secret to inner peace.

 

Talking about the inherent power of women and the misconceptions conditioned by the society, the men, she reflects too need to undergo a change of perspective. "Rather than asking women to dress in a particular manner, men should change the way they look at her. Instead of suppressing her thoughts, men should just concentrate on their own," this, she says, is for the benefit of the man. "A free mind makes for a happy woman and a happy woman, a happy family," her logic is crystal clear. Stability of the mind is of utmost importance, she asserts.

 

Switching from subjects as varying from Zen, Sufi, Upanishad, Buddhism, to bard sages, philosophy, art, history, and yoga, Gurumaa speaks to the modern mind using ancient wisdom such as the vedas, sufism, and Buddhism. "Upanishads hold answers to today's problems and states what we need to do today -- give the lady her wings and let her be free and see the nation progress with her."

Shakti Dinner & Dance 2008

Above is the vivid collection of pictures reminicising the Shakti Dance & Dinner program. Under the dynamic guidance of Anandmurti Gurumaa, Shakti Dinner & Dance was organised by an enthusiastic group based in London, U.K. to raise funds for the education of under privileged girls. The main theme of the program was to propagate the message of Shakti - Empower Girls to become self reliant and strong individuals. The organising team wore t-shirts with the inspiring messages like 'Girls are assets and not liabilities', 'Females are not E-mails, don't delete them!'...Besides, a conscious endeavour was made to create awareness amongst all to combat the barbaric act of female foeticide. 

A step toward welfare of the girl child

India to provide insurance, cash incentives for girl-child

The Ministry for Women and Child Development is finalising a scheme to provide insurance cover for every girl-child from a below the poverty line (BPL) family, as incentive for bringing her up and providing her with good education and healthcare The Indian government is floating a scheme which will give up to Rs 1.4 lakh each to families with daughters who reach adulthood, in the 10 poorest districts of five states that have the worst sex ratio, including Punjab and Haryana. The Conditional Cash and Non-Cash Transfer Scheme will be formally announced by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, on January 26. According to Nandita Mishra, Joint Secretary in the ministry, under the scheme being floated jointly with the Life Insurance Corporation of India, Rs 1 lakh will be given to families that guarantee their girls reaching the age of 18. Only families that fulfil the following conditions with respect to a girl-child -- birth and registration, immunisation, school enrolment, and marriage after 18 years -- will receive the cash incentives. Bihar , Orissa and Jharkhand are the three other states -- besides Punjab and Haryana, where female foeticide and infanticide are rampant -- where the scheme will be offered. However, while Rs 1 lakh will automatically accrue to the parents of girl-children in eligible districts who are unmarried when they turn 18, they must fulfil certain criteria pertaining to their children's welfare. Parents must ensure that their daughters have an 80% school attendance record and that they are not being forced into marriage before they reach the age of 19. Under the scheme, the government will provide cash transfers of Rs 5,000 at the time of the girl's birth and registration; Rs 500 after every three months, for immunisation; Rs 2,500 at the time of her school enrolment; Rs 1,000 every year till the completion of primary school; Rs 5,000 at the time of enrolment and Rs 1,500 every year till the completion of elementary school; and Rs 7,500 for enrolment and Rs 1,500 every year till the girl completes her secondary and higher secondary education. The rest of the money will be handed over at the age of 18, if the girl is unmarried. The project will first be implemented as a pilot in 11 blocks of the country. While 10 of the chosen blocks are economically backward, the ministry has chosen one prosperous block -- Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib (Punjab) that has the lowest child sex ratio of 766 per 1,000 males, according to the 2001 census. “The inclusion of a rich block will enable a comparative study among outcomes in economically varying blocks,” says Mishra. This is only the latest in a number of cash incentive schemes to promote the survival and welfare of the girl-child in India. The ultimate objective is to change society's perceptions about the girl-child, thus curbing the rampant practice of sex-selective abortion and infanticide that has led to a steadily declining child sex ratio. Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury said the ministry had proposed the scheme during the Eleventh Plan. The scheme's most significant component is insurance coverage to the tune of Rs 1 lakh to ensure the survival of the girl-child. The ministry believes that huge insurance cover in addition to cash transfers at birth will force families to view girl-children more positively. “Poverty is a huge constraint in the way of birth and development of a girl-child. We realised that well-designed financial incentives can transform negative perceptions regarding daughters and make people view them as assets. Conditional cash transfers can effect behaviour changes,” says Mishra. Similar conditional cash transfer schemes have been in operation in Brazil, Nicaragua, Columbia, Chile and Mexico. Brazil has a national programme that transfers $ 19 every month to an estimated 5 million families. The cash is transferred on condition that a minimum school attendance of 85% is ensured for children between six and 15 years of age. Source: The Tribune , January 18, 2009                www.timesnow.tv, January 18, 2008                www.googlenews.com, January 18, 2008