EXPLAINER: Akshaya Tritiya & Child Marriage: Not An Auspicious Knot

With less than 24 hours to go, many families in parts of India are clandestinely preparing for the marriages of their children on Akshaya Tritiya which falls on May 10 this year. It remains an open secret that a large number of families not just throng jewellery stores and real estate agents to procure assets on this auspicious day, many gear up to marry off their children too.

The fact that the legal marriageable age is 18 years for girls and 21 for boys becomes irrelevant and inconspicuous for a large number of people blinded and strayed by centuries-old customs and stubbornness they call rituals.

Akshaya Tritiya & Child Marriage

The Sanskrit word 'Akshaya' means 'never diminishing' and is an auspicious Hindu festival. According to scriptures, Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Sarva Siddhi Day, is one of the three days in the lunar calendar when one can perform any ceremony or activity without worrying about muhurat as the whole day is deemed auspicious.

Given this belief, the day has been widely popular with Hindus who buy jewellery, valuables, land and property on this day. But this isn't where the belief stops. Of the 223 million girls pushed into marriage in our country every year, thousands of child marriages happen around this time of the year especially in the states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh with the staunch belief that marriages occurring any time on Akshaya Tritiya are blessed with good luck and longevity. Ironically, this crime is committed rampantly even though the state governments and NGOs become extra vigilant around this time of the year to stop child marriages.

Also referred to as Akti or Akha Teej, this day has also become a day of cat and mouse chase when government authorities and NGOs are on a strict vigil to stop any possible child marriage in their vicinities.

Governments on a Vigil

Even in places where Akshaya Tritiya is not celebrated, this time of the year is the wedding season when incidents of child marriage are much higher. With this fact well known, the governments, law enforcement agencies as well as NGOs have all been on their toes with plans, actions and strategies to combat this social crime.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has already asked state governments and Union Territories to allow their officers to attend district-wise review meetings being held on the prohibition of child marriage. As many as eight state governments have issued notifications and directed officials to step up vigil in villages and blocks and aim for 'Child Marriage Free Panchayat' in their states. The governments of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have issued circulars to all district commissioners and village Panchayats to take necessary precautions to prevent any child marriages from occurring.

Notably, even the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006, categorically states that on certain days, such as Akshaya Tritiya when the incidences of child marriages are feared to be higher, the "district magistrate shall be deemed to be the child marriage prohibition officer".

Child Marriage Free India Campaign Reaches Temples, Mosques, Churches

In what can be termed a rather innovative and effective strategy, over 161 NGOs under the aegis of the Child Marriage Free India campaign are now reaching out to religious leaders and religious places with their awareness drive.

Since all the marriages are solemnized in religious places and by religious leaders such as Pundits, Maulavis, Padris and so on, the NGOs are reaching out to these places and people generating awareness and holding pledge programmes against child marriage.

The walls and gates of hundreds of temples and mosques in the country are now adorning posters that say 'Child Marriage No More' or 'No Child Marriages in this Temple/Mosque/Church/Gurudwara'. Besides, the priests and maulavis are unanimously taking pledges and refusing to perform any child marriage in their knowledge.

Next in line are the ones who play an important role in the arrangements of a marriage ceremony. They are the caterers, tent wallas, cooks, halwais and so on. They are not just being made aware of the offence such an act is, but are also being sensitized about the unfairness of child marriages. In villages and towns, they are taking pledges and promising that they would not be a party to any child marriage and would report it in case they get a whiff of any such marriage happening around them. Besides, the general public is also being sensitized and informed that not just performing child marriage, but even attending one, is a crime.

This is a huge step considering how the movement is becoming all-inclusive and is sending clear messages to the ones who matter. With such clear messages in such crucial places of worship in the society and among the ones who are in the direct know of a child marriage, the changes are bound to happen.

Child Marriage Free India campaign is a coalition of 161 NGOs across the country working in tandem with the government in 257 districts witnessing a high prevalence of child marriage and aims to end this social crime by 2030 from the country. The coalition has been working as per the roadmap proposed in the book 'When Children Have Children: Tipping Point to End Child Marriage' authored by child rights activist Bhuwan Ribhu who is also the advisor to these NGOs.

The NGO partners working at the grassroots level have been on a momentous journey spreading awareness about the consequences of child marriage, reaching door to door and encouraging people to take pledges against child marriage, intervening and stopping such marriages through legal intervention, injunction orders, undertaking and counselling of the families contemplating marrying off their children.

(Swaty Prakash, Former Journalist, Communication Coach & Relationship Counsellor)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of OneIndia and OneIndia does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.