Celebrating the Girl Child: The Village That Plants 111 Trees Every Time a Girl is Born

Every culture is embedded with its own traditions and some are surrounded by the birth of a child. One such village which follows an amazing tradition during the birth of a girl child is in Piplantri in Rajasthan, which plants 111 trees every time a girl is born in the village. Beautiful, isn’t it?

In most Indian villages, the birth of a daughter was historically considered a burden for a family. Rural villages operate on the dowry system which contributes to the high cost of marriage for households with daughters which resulted in them regarded as lesser than their male counterparts. Most of them were married before they reached the age of 18 whilst only a few received a proper education.

Violence against women is still a heated topic in India. The documentary “India’s Daughters,” was banned due to its upfront portrayal of rape and abuse in the country. In such a scenario, the tradition of planting trees in order to honour the birth of a girl child fosters hope. 

The foundation stone for this custom was led by former village leader Shyam Sundar Paliwal to honor his daughter who passed away when she was young. Though,  Paliwal no longer serves as the village’s leader, the tradition has continued nonetheless.

In this village, every time a girl is born, village members band together to raise a sort of “trust” for the girl. The parents contribute one-third of the sum of 31,000 Rupees, and the money is set aside as a 20-year fund for the girl. This ensures that she will never be considered a financial burden for her parents.

 In return for this trust, the parents sign a legal affidavit that states that the daughter will only be married after she reaches the age of 18 and has received a proper education. The affidavit states that the 111 trees must be taken care of as well. 

Though it’s a clever little catch this practice ensures that with the birth of a child, the local environment also gets to flourish which makes it an amalgamation of appreciation for females and a sense of environmental stewardship. 

Gehrilal Balai, a father who planted 111 saplings last year expressed his happiness by comparing the responsibility of looking after the saplings to that of lulling his daughter to sleep. 

Over the course of the past six years, a quarter of a million trees have been planted in Piplantri. Villagers ascribe the harmony that this tradition has brought to their community with the dramatic drop in crime. Not to mention their renewed adoration of little girls.

When one sees the connection between social issues and look to their environmental roots, one can find unique and incredible solutions to the world’s modern problems. You might not think that something as insignificant as a sapling could change the world, but remember, that sapling will one day grow into an enormous tree.