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Baby Buried Alive, Rescued by Grandfather
17 Aug
Summary
- A newborn girl was buried alive but found breathing.
- Her grandfather rescued her from a shallow pit near a stream.
- She was raised by her maternal grandfather after her mother's death.
A newborn girl was buried alive by her father shortly after birth in a village in Maharashtra's Latur district. Her maternal grandfather, Dada, discovered her breathing in a shallow pit near the stream where her mother had been cremated. Dada rescued the infant and, with the help of his wife, Chandrabhaga, raised her as his own, naming her Shivkanta Kundalikrao Mane.
The family, belonging to the Dalit community, faced significant hardship and discrimination. Despite living in poverty, Dada ensured Shivkanta and her cousin attended school. To continue her education, Shivkanta had to live with her father and stepmother, who treated her harshly and reportedly attempted to poison her.
Shivkanta later trained as a nurse, where she met Dileep Aralikar. They fell in love, married despite familial and inter-caste opposition, and had two sons. Their journey was marked by imprisonment during the Emergency, their sons' education, and continued social activism, particularly for women and Dalit communities.
Her experiences, including the attempt on her life as an infant, inspired her Marathi autobiography, "Hirkanicha Birhad." This work connects her story with other survivors of infanticide, underscoring a shared belief that a daughter's life is often valued less.
