Saptarishi
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
  Good riddance to Goddess Durga!
Here is a report from BBC that talks about selective abortion of girls by the families of India - India 'loses 10m female births'.

Researchers in India and Canada for the Lancet journal said prenatal selection and selective abortion was causing the loss of 500,000 girls a year.

Their research was based on a national survey of 1.1m households in 1998.

The researchers said the "girl deficit" was more common among educated women but did not vary according to religion.
In spite of actively worshipping Goddesses in myriad forms, it just does not make economic sense for people to have girl child in India. Social evils like dowry during weddings make a girl child seem like a burden on a poor family. In spite of all the progress made by India, this is one area where we have to get our act together fast. The repercussions on a society where the sex ratio is heavily in favor of males is unimaginable. This problem has the potential to tear apart the social fabric of Indian society.
 
Comments:
The problem of female infanticide is very real and extermely shameful, but here is an interesting footnote : http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_09/b3922034_mz007.htm
 
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"Saptarishi" in Sanskrit means the Seven Sages or rishis who are extolled at many places in the Vedas and other Hindu literature. They are regarded in the Vedas as the patriarchs of the Vedic religion. The constellation of Ursa Major is also named as Saptarshi. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saptarishi)

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  • Anonymous Anonymous // Thursday, January 19, 2006 10:36:00 PM
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