Odagaon: An 80-year-old woman, with grey hair, sagging skin and frail body is sure to attract anyone’s attention for her unusual agility while visiting the Manikapatna weekly market at Bahadajhola in Nayagarh district every Thursday.
Sukuri Sahoo can be found selling one thing or the other at this market even at her old age. Instead of resorting to begging with her children not bothered about her plight, the courageous lady prefers to earn a living by herself.
She says, “I have strength in my hands why should I go begging.”
Her hand made ‘Muan’, a ball shaped sweet prepared by mixing puffed rice and molasses is the best thing one can buy in the weekly market. She has loyal customers who happily buy her hand-made ‘muan’.
The inner satisfaction of earning a livelihood at this age and the sympathy of her customers gives her the real meaning of living, she quips.
‘Muan’ is synonymous with Dola festival in Nayagarh district. As per the age old tradition, during the Dola festival, people exchange wishes and these sweets between them.
The main aim of this tradition was to maintain brotherhood. Sukuri Sahoo is very much aware of the different traditions in the society. She remembers the full moon day when the Dola festival falls.
Thursday being the last market ahead of Dola festival, Sukuri Sahoo decided to make ‘muans’.
She lives in a shanty by the side of the concrete road which goes to the weekly market. She woke up much before the arrival of businessmen and customers to the market Thursday.
Lighting the firewood hearth and placing a specific earthen pot on it, she put molasses and then puffed rice to make a mixture of them. Then she rolled them with palms to give them ball shapes. Thereafter she laid out some bamboo containers filled with these sweets. She sat stretching her legs waiting for her regular customers. Within few hours her containers were found empty.
When asked why she is staying all alone and what makes her still working at this old age, she shared her story.
“I lost my husband long ago. After his death, the burden of bringing up two daughters and one son fell on my shoulder. I worked as daily labourer. I had to sell firewood carrying on my head. I also had to sell muan, arisa pitha and some other things to feed my children. Now my son is not taking care of me. My daughters are married off. My youngest daughter, who is residing nearby, comes to me daily and takes care of me. She brings food for me and massages me with oil,” Sukuri narrates.
About her income, she says, “At the end of the day, I earn around Rs 50. Now I am getting a pension of Rs 300 which was Rs 50 earlier.”
About her home, she says: “I can’t sleep inside it. Rats have taken siege of it. One day a rat bit me. Since then I have been sleeping with fear.”
“I have one of my feet in the grave. I am living my days according to my wish. I am still earning. I have no complaints to make at anyone, not even at the altar of the God. He has given me everything. He makes me agile even today, what more else I can ask Him? I want to live the rest of the days happily,” she adds.
When asked about her children, she praised the efforts of her daughters. “I am proud of my two daughters. In the time of need, it is only daughters who take care of their parents,” she points out.
PNN