After 200 years, Maharashtra family welcomes first daughter with chariot procession

A family in Parli town of Maharashtra's Beed district has celebrated the birth of a baby girl in a manner that has caught widespread attention on social media — marking the first time in nearly 200 years, across four generations, that a daughter has been born into the family.

A wait of four generations

For the Dahifale family of Parli, the birth of a daughter was something generations had waited for.

According to reports, no girl child had been born into the family for close to 200 years, spanning four successive generations, until the arrival of the newborn in the fifth generation.

When the baby girl was finally born, her grandparents' joy knew no bounds after a wait that had stretched across their entire lives.

A grand homecoming

To mark the occasion, the Dahifale family spared no effort in their celebrations. The mother and her newborn daughter, named Gargi, were given a ceremonial send-off from the hospital.

Rather than a routine journey home, the family arranged for mother and child to be brought back in a decorated chariot.

Also Read: Assam: Train halted as elephant herd crosses railway track in Nagaon's Hojai district; Watch video here

The homecoming turned into a full-fledged procession, with dhol-nagada (traditional drums) playing as relatives, neighbours and well-wishers joined in the celebrations.

Visuals of the procession the mother and baby seated in the chariot amid festivities usually associated with weddings or religious occasions have since gone viral, drawing widespread praise online.

Reactions from the community

The gesture has also drawn appreciation from social activists. Anant Ingle, a social worker, praised the family's initiative, pointing out that in many parts of society, attitudes toward the birth of daughters have still not fully changed.

He said the way the Dahifale family welcomed their daughter is a beautiful and inspiring example for the rest of society.

The celebration comes against the backdrop of a long-standing preference for sons over daughters in many parts of India, including rural Maharashtra a bias that has often shown up in practices such as sex-selective abortions and unequal treatment of girl children within families.

Seen in this context, the Dahifale family's decision to celebrate their daughter's birth so openly and joyfully, after four generations without a girl child, is being seen as a rare and welcome example of changing attitudes toward daughters.