An old woman is fighting for her life only by mental strength. Still she is not ready to take alms money because she has self respect and is fighting only for her granddaughter.
The heat of the hot sun at the station! There is no permanent canopy over the head! Yet a childless 70-year-old mother stands under a foot overbridge selling luchi, a pea potato curry, to feed her granddaughter. – The year was 2021, a man is sitting to catch a local train. As Burdwan station is very crowded, I went to the end of platform number four or five to find some relief. This side is quite crowdless, no people are coming. – He was getting hungry even before that. Looking to the side, a lady is sitting on a stool, in front of her are several luchis covered in a cloth and curry in an aluminum pot. Didn’t seem like much was being sold. The woman calmly watches the train come and go. – What do you think Luchi wanted the man. The lady looked almost startled. Carefully put two pieces of luchi and some pea potato curry on a paper plate. The price is 10 Rupees, the man wanted to pay 20 rupees, but she did not take it. She said that you are my grandson’s age, you have eaten two loaches, why should I take twenty rupees for that! – Even at this age, running a shop in the sun, no one understands? “The old woman looked at the man with a confused look through her glasses at the question. Pulled out a photo from under the table. A faded photo frame of a 30-year-old man. The old woman said, “My son, is dead. It was his shop. Now I run. Otherwise, what will we eat, son” !! – Has a granddaughter studying in class six. All her responsibilities are mine.” I asked, “Is it sold in this lockdown?” The old woman said with a blank look, “The cost of the house goes away. I can’t pay my granddaughter’s school fees, puja clothes, hobbies. It used to sell well before the lockdown, now boiled eggs, boiled chickpeas, only cost of salt oil rises, son”!! – After listening to the words of the old lady, tears came to my eyes, I thought to myself, “Physical power is insignificant compared to mental power”. There is a saying that a woman is a mother’s breed, and she can do anything for her child! I got a visual proof of it today. – A special request to you, if you ever go to Burdwan station, buy something from his shop. I wish you well Old Lady.
