When we think of wishing someone on Women’s Day, our minds often conjure up images of women excelling in traditional desk jobs or engineering roles. But have we ever paused to consider the myriad of women beyond these realms? Have you thought of women in below images.
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This Women’s Day, let’s celebrate the inspiring stories of women who wear mud as cosmetics on their faces and bear rough hands from their hard work. Many of these women work tirelessly to support their families, standing shoulder to shoulder with their husbands or brothers.
Let me take you through one such story !!
I once encountered a remarkable woman a few years ago in a small village in Rajasthan. She toiled in her fields alongside her two daughters, balancing the care of her four daughters and two sons while her husband worked in a hotel in Gujarat, the name of which she didn’t know. Her eldest son, she proudly mentioned, attended one of India’s premier engineering colleges, sparking my curiosity about her life.
Me: How do you manage your family?
She: My husband earns 10–12k per month. We invest his savings in the education of both sons and younger daughters. My daughters and I work in the fields when theire is good rain or on daily wages. Our earnings sustain our provisions.
Me: Does your husband have any addictions?
She: No, he’s a simple man who has worked tirelessly since a young age to support our family. He saves every coin and gives it back to us.
Me: Who handles the household expenses?
She: My third daughter. She’s pursuing BA and works at a private school.
Me: What motivates you to send your kids to school?
She: I understand how education can transform lives. My brother is a government officer, a testament to our family’s hard work. He supports all of us.
Me: Have you been to school?
She: No, girls weren’t sent to school back then. My sisters, elder brother, and I didn’t attend. We assisted our family. However, I know basic counting and the Indian calendar. People often ask me for dates of events. Some even call me “Collector”.
Me: Why “Collector”?
She: People believe that if I had gone to school, I would be an IAS officer today.
I turned to her daughters and asked for their names. Seema, unable to speak, and Neelam, who communicated with me.
Me: Have you been to school?
Neelam: Yes, we both attended until the 6th grade.
Me: Why did you leave school?
Neelam: Didi (Seema) felt uncomfortable there in school , she needs special care. I support her. So, we both left school to assist our large family.
Me: Are you confident your brother will succeed?
Neelam: Yes, he will. He’s dedicated.
Then we exchanged goodbyes and I left them.
I encountered her again in the market during a recent visit home.
Me: How are you?
She: Good, beta! And you?
Me: Auntiji, I was passing by your village; shall I drop you off?
She: No, we’ve moved here.
Me: How so?
She: We built a new home here. By the grace of God, my son’s earnings are good.
Me: Where does he work?
She: He’s employed at a software company.
I visited her new home. Her elder daughters were married, and she is living happily with her husband and grandson (Neelam’s son). Her younger son is preparing for a government job.
Me: Your life has changed for the better!
She: No, I’m the same; it’s just people’s perspectives that have changed (with a laugh).
Me: How so?
She: In both ways. People now cite my example of hard work. My son has silenced those who discouraged investing in education, claiming there are no jobs.
This story offers a different perspective on success. Sometimes we celebrate individuals like her son but overlook the efforts of this lady and her daughters who sacrificed their education to support their brother, surpassing what a son could have done. It also illustrates that sometimes, formal education isn’t an option, which doesn’t imply her father or family lacked support.
We must celebrate the efforts of both the rocket and the satellite.
Image credits: https://en.gaonconnection.com/women-in-rural-india-undertake-most-of-the-laborious-work-in-the-fields-yet-they-are-not-called-farmers/
Please go through this report as well.
