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| AP village flouting Child Marriage |
| Young Renuka was married off when she was hardly three years old and so were her classmates Akansha and Pochamma.
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| INDIA
, 14-February-2007
2:59:31 AM |
| In gross violation of the Act, a village in Andhra Pradesh is still practicing child marriage, whether the age is 3 or 13 it does not matter.
There is a community in the state's Medak district where marriages are fixed soon after the baby is born with devastating consequences high rates of maternal and child mortality.
Young Renuka was married off when she was hardly three years old and so were her classmates Akansha and Pochamma.
Not just the girls, even the boys at the primary school in Kaudpally area of Medak district were married when they were not even old enough to be in school.
"My parents didn't know, so they got us married when we were very young," said Sai, a student.
A marriage alliance has been being fixed for a baby for whom the world is still her cradle.
Regular norm
In the backward caste Gangyreddulu community, child marriage has been the norm for generations now.
"During festivals, we fix marriages. We talk it over and decide," said Mallaiah, a community elder.
The children start living as man and wife once they attain puberty and are hardly in their teens.
Marriage alliances are decided soon after birth but the marriage ceremonies themselves don't happen, as there is huge expenditure involved.
So, it is usually a mass marriage of about 30-40 brides and grooms that takes place once every three to four years.
Yellamma, a grandmother at 40, looks much older. She gave birth to nine children, only six survived and five of them are already married.
"We will make them study but that makes sense only if they will get jobs," said Yellamma, villager.
Young Sayamma is just 13 and says she will soon be sent to her in-laws house.
"I don't even remember being married. They will soon send me to my in laws' home but I don't like it. You would like to go to school?' Yes, but I have goats and sheep to graze. Who will give us food if I go to school?," asked Sayamma.
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