Less than a week ahead of Ugadi, a couple of panchangams (almanacs) that attempt to predict the future of girls by basing it on the timing of the onset of puberty have raised a controversy, with a voluntary organisation demanding that it be withdrawn from circulation. Falling afoul of the rationalists are two almanacs, Graha Bhumi Panchangam written by well-known astrologer Srinivas Gargeya and the Kalachakra Panchangam authored by Ramasharma and Mr Gargeya.
Mr Gargeya’s panchangam states that if a girl attains puberty after sunset she will become a prostitute, a widow if puberty is attained at midnight and a thief if it is in the evening. The panchangam also prescribes “santhi” to reverse the effects. Child rights activists are objecting to this, stating that it is like making business with the fairer sex.
Asked why they were objecting now to something that had been written for years, Ms P.A. Devi from an NGO said, “Does it mean we should accept it just because it has been going on for years?” “We deem it as a violation of rights of children. It’s also insulting to women folk,’’ she said. “Puberty is something that happens naturally. How can girls be blamed for the timing? Such forecasts are totally unscientific and humiliate children and violate their human rights,’’ said Mr Achyuta Rao of the Andhra Pradesh Balala Hakkula Sangham.
A complaint was filed with the State Human Rights Commission stating that such unscientific writings were not only creating panic among girl children but were also insulting in nature, thus violating their rights. The commission was urged to issue a direction stopping publication and circulation of such material for Ugadi, besides banning reading out the same on the auspicious occasion.