After women, kids get due

SHIMLA: Age-old tradition of debarring younger children from inheriting ancestral property is set to change in Spiti valley of tribal Lahaul-Spiti district as Himachal Pradesh government has decided to step in to ensure equal rights on property among children. As per tradition, only the eldest son or daughter of the family has right on property while other children either become Lama (monk) or Chomo (nun), or they live miserable life by doing menial jobs.
Perhaps Spiti valley, having population of 12,445, is the only place in India where younger children have no right over property while the eldest child enjoys all luxuries. After seeing the state high court recently ordering to give tribal women right to inherit their ancestral property, state government too has decided to intervene to end this discrimination. Ratan Manjri, 62, chairperson of Kinnaur Mahila Kalyan Parishad, who had waged a war to change the draconian tribal law debarring tribal women from ancestral property, said that in Spiti, younger children of the family were subjected to injustice by providing the entire family property to the eldest child.
"It was heartening to see younger children were being sent to become Lamas or Chomos while elder children being sent to schools and later given the entire property," she added. Resident of Kaza town Chhering Dorjey said that customary law practiced in Spiti valley was draconian in the sense it amounted to injustice with the younger children who were forced to live at the mercy of the eldest child in the family.
"There are instances where younger children made their own fortunes and created their own property but such instances are very few as majority lived like paupers in absence of good job or other source of income," he added. Subodh Kumar a resident of Lari village in Spiti valley, said that as per customary law, he inherited entire property of the family while his younger brother was made a lama. "But now, I have called my brother back and have given share in the property as he too has right to live with dignity. We had discussed the issue of changing customary law within the community to ensure property rights to all children of a family," he added.
To end the discrimination, Himachal Pradesh government is conducting a survey in Spiti valley to check how many children are living miserable lives on losing right over ancestral property. In the valley, ancestral house is called "bigger house" while one made by younger children by their own hard work is called "smaller house". On completion of the survey, government would ensure property rights to owners of the "smaller house". Chief minister Virbhadra Singh said that survey being done in Spiti valley would be completed in a few months. "It is time that age-old practice being followed in Spiti is changed," he added.