Mumbai (Commonwealth Union)_ A family in Maharashtra’s Beed district has turned the birth of a baby girl into a grand celebration after waiting for generations to welcome a daughter into the family. Accordingly, Kalpana Dahifale gave birth to a girl, Gargi, at a local hospital this week. According to the family, no girl had been born in the Dahifale family for nearly 200 years. Her arrival was therefore seen as a moment of great happiness and fortune. After Kalpana and her newborn were discharged from the hospital, the family organised a special procession to bring them home in Parli.
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A flower-decorated chariot was arranged for the mother and baby, while relatives, neighbours and well-wishers gathered to join the celebration. The procession featured traditional drums and cymbals, with people dancing along the way. The chariot was decorated with flowers and lights, adding to the festive mood. Fireworks were also set off as the family welcomed the newborn. When the procession reached the family home, Gargi received another traditional welcome. Relatives performed an aarti at the entrance, which had been decorated with rangoli, flowers and balloons.
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For Gargi’s grandfather, Limbaji Dahifale, the occasion was deeply emotional. Speaking about his granddaughter, he said having a daughter in the family was a matter of great fortune. He recalled that the family had carried the regret of not having a girl for many years. “We are very happy that Lakshmi has come to our home today,” Gargi’s grandmother, Surekha Dahifale, said, describing the newborn as a blessing for the family. Gargi’s father, Rishikesh Dahifale, said the happiness of having a daughter was special. He said the family would raise her with love and care.
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The family said the elaborate welcome was not only about celebrating Gargi’s arrival but also about sending a message that daughters should be welcomed with pride rather than viewed differently from sons. The celebration has particular significance in Beed, a district that has struggled with female foeticide and an imbalanced child sex ratio. The district recorded only 801 girls for every 1,000 boys in the 2011 Census, highlighting the scale of the problem. Social activist Anant Ingle praised the Dahifale family, saying such celebrations can help challenge old prejudices surrounding the birth of girls.
The family’s celebration also recalls similar gestures elsewhere in India. In 2021, a family in Rajasthan reportedly used a helicopter to bring home a newborn daughter who was the first girl born in the family in 35 years. For the Dahifales, however, Gargi’s arrival is personal and historic. After what the family describes as nearly two centuries without a daughter, they say now their Kanyaratna or the precious girl has given them a reason to celebrate for generations to come.
