I spotted her at a handicraft exhibition, few weeks back. There she was; at the stall, selling exquisite, indigenous craft items from the state of Gujarat. She was dressed in gathered skirt, long blouse in interesting hue of pink with orange tint and printed odhani (garment that covers head and is pleated to the skirt) with an intricate lace at the border.
Her attire, very ornately embroidered in shocking pink, green and blue stood out in perfect contrast with the trendy outfits of impressive array of people dressed in mostly summer whites or light colours. Her stunningly beautiful accessories in silver and gold were simply breathtaking! Her hands, full with colourful bangles in plastic and silver and her upper arms embellished with bangles in white made her look absolutely mindblowing.
There was something more to her, much beyond her vibrant clothes and jewelry that was very compelling! She commanded respect with her stern yet elegant presence and that precisely what intrigued me and tempted me to strike some conversation with her.
I took my own time to approach her and finally met her when she was relatively free. There were barely few people discussing and admiring her elegant creations with brilliant finish and checking out the prices. At last, she looked at me and I seized that opportunity and with a smile, asked in Gujarati, "kem chho masi ? "(meaning, how are you aunty?) She was happy to hear those words in her mother tongue and at that very moment, we struck a chord. For the first time, I noticed her face and it captured my attention in a way that is difficult to explain with words.
One look at her face and I knew I was witnessing triumph of long years of hard work. Her eyes, with deep Kohl were very haunting and yet there was something gorgeous in it. The undiscovered worlds beneath her gaze seared my heart. Her face concealed scars of agonizing pain that were buried within, unattended for ages. And yet, there was something exceptionally remarkable about her. I was speechless for some time and completely at loss for words. I wondered what all she must have gone through in life?
Fortunately, being familiar with Gujarat and its rich culture, I remembered I had an advantage. I had enough to make her speak. I picked up some cushion covers with interesting motifs and great finesse and asked if there was any social, cultural or spiritual significance to them. She looked surprised but that certainly won me her gorgeous smile and she opened up and shared a few things about her life briefly!
She hailed from a small town in Gujarat, was heading a micro enterprise, created and supported by women of her village. She was supporting a joint family of more than a dozen people and she counted herself very blessed because children from her village were able to get education, receive more than just basic health care, dress properly and eat nutritious meals. She seemed happy that the younger lot did not have to face harsh realities of life that she and her generation were often subjected to in times of dire poverty.
She explained with pride, how women from her village despite many difficulties, had learnt to be independent by creating a business model meant for craftswomen. She talked about how education had contributed to a better life and her dream of reaching out to many more villages through the enterprise. It was only five years since the micro enterprise had started but she seemed determined to make it a successful venture and was convinced it had great future. I asked her if she ever got tired of the work and wished to enjoy life with her large family of children and grand children at home, to which she promptly replied, "Every woman from my village is my family and if we think about our own desires and interests, our venture would collapse." Here was a lady, who had never been to school, imparting some of the finest lessons of life through her own example!
Our conversation didn't last more than a few minutes but in those moments I was completely overwhelmed. Despite all the hardship she experienced in life, she had not lost her raw beauty that seemed untouchable. She portrayed immense courage in facing every challenge, life presented and proved herself a winner!
I finally bought some cushion covers and bags as she started having many customers again. On my way back home, I realized I had not even asked her name! But it really didn't matter. For me, she would always remain a phenomenal woman, who ignited my spirit and had changed me in some subtle way within.
She hailed from a small town in Gujarat, was heading a micro enterprise, created and supported by women of her village. She was supporting a joint family of more than a dozen people and she counted herself very blessed because children from her village were able to get education, receive more than just basic health care, dress properly and eat nutritious meals. She seemed happy that the younger lot did not have to face harsh realities of life that she and her generation were often subjected to in times of dire poverty.
She explained with pride, how women from her village despite many difficulties, had learnt to be independent by creating a business model meant for craftswomen. She talked about how education had contributed to a better life and her dream of reaching out to many more villages through the enterprise. It was only five years since the micro enterprise had started but she seemed determined to make it a successful venture and was convinced it had great future. I asked her if she ever got tired of the work and wished to enjoy life with her large family of children and grand children at home, to which she promptly replied, "Every woman from my village is my family and if we think about our own desires and interests, our venture would collapse." Here was a lady, who had never been to school, imparting some of the finest lessons of life through her own example!
Our conversation didn't last more than a few minutes but in those moments I was completely overwhelmed. Despite all the hardship she experienced in life, she had not lost her raw beauty that seemed untouchable. She portrayed immense courage in facing every challenge, life presented and proved herself a winner!
I finally bought some cushion covers and bags as she started having many customers again. On my way back home, I realized I had not even asked her name! But it really didn't matter. For me, she would always remain a phenomenal woman, who ignited my spirit and had changed me in some subtle way within.
