Cyclonic storm Fani has thrown life out of gear in many parts of Odisha. More than a week after the cyclone made landfall near Holy City Puri, many areas are still in darkness as power has not been restored. All aspects of life are affected as a result and people are finding it tough to cope with the situation. Orissa POST spoke to a few working women to find out how they are dealing with the difficulties in the aftermath of the cyclone.
Banker Subhadra Rath said, “Even a few hours without electricity makes life difficult. But after this cyclonic storm, we have spent more than a week in complete darkness. For a working woman like me, it has been a challenge to maintain my daily schedule. I used to prepare lunch and dinner simultaneously and store the food in the refrigerator. It made my day easier as I would not have to cook again in the night. I would also prepare the wheat dough in the morning and keep it in the fridge. However, with no electricity, all these arrangements have gone for a toss. During post-cyclone days, to manage both home and work fronts smoothly, we packed cooked food for lunch and took flattened rice for dinner.”
Sneha Pati, another banker, said, “I never imagined a life sans electricity and water would be so difficult. I have to reach office by 9 am every day, so I always prepare both lunch and dinner before leaving for my workplace. For any working professional, the refrigerator is essential to keep the food fresh. We couldn’t use the fridge for days after May 3, the day the cyclone hit the state. Left with no option, I followed my mother’s technique. I had learnt from my mother how to prevent food from becoming stale. With no sign of power being restored, I stored the cooked food inside an earthen pot. It worked to some extent. After returning from office, my first job was to ensure that the family finishes dinner by 7 pm.”
“Keeping the veggies and fruits fresh was a challenge during those dark days,” said Amrita Pati, a teacher in an English medium school. “So, I used to keep the fruits and vegetables in bowls and put these bowls in a bigger water-filled container. This way, the stuff was kept fresh for a little longer. A day before the cyclone, I bought enough fruits, biscuits and dry fruits so that I would not have to cook much. During the day, we used to have signature Odia food bhata (rice) and dalma (dal and other vegetables cooked together) while we took milk and fruits at night.”
Poonam Nayak who works in an NGO said, “Things went haywire after the cyclone hit the state capital where I reside. I have witnessed many cyclonic storms since childhood, but this time the intensity was too high. There was no water, no electricity. Doing household chores in the absence of water and electricity was so difficult. To escape the trying conditions, I took leave and went to my parents’ place with my son.”
RASHMI REKHA DAS, OP