A Baby Girl

More lovable than a boy?

- Rana Preet Gill

As a teenager, I once accompanied my mother to a baby shower function. I found the ceremony enthralling. The expecting mother received a plethora of gifts and good wishes. What really intrigued me were the blessings showered upon the lady. Rab tenu munde di dat bakshe (May god bless you with a son). I found it rather strange that no one wished her to bear a girl child.

That summer I was sent to my nani’s house for a few weeks. Incidentally both my aunts were expecting and the house would be choice-a-bloc with the relatives and odd visitors who would drop in propitiously bringing heap of advices and good wishes. Again I noticed the same set of blessings being showered upon the two ladies, Rab kare munda hove. I ended up believing that the society is prejudiced but I would be the special one to rise above this biasness.