Sana Sahu – at your mercy

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On the streets of Barpali if you locate this old lady don’t ignore her thinking to be a beggar. She walks barefoot at a snail pace. She is adorned in an old and torn out cotton saree. She could speak only Oriya. She is very shy and cut off from the modern world. She is a victim of neglected old age. 

She is Sana Sahu. Early on she had a devastated life. She was born at Chikli village of Padampur Block, Bargarh District. Barely at the age of 16 or 17 years she was forcefully married with Nursingha Sahu an elderly person of Badmamhni village, Bijepur Block. Nursingha was an old person and had another childless wife. Sana was blessed with three children two sons and a daughter. After 14 years of her marriage her husband died living behind whatever little land property he had. After her husband’s death Sana was at the in-laws house for long four years. She was ill-treated by the first lady of the house out of jealousy, as she did not had any children. Finally the first lady kicked out Sana from the house, while retaining her three children. Then Sana’s children were 14, 12 and 8 years old respectively. Sana was heartbroken. By then neither Sana’s parents were alive to share the sorrow. 

Sana was helpless and came down to Barpali in search of a livelihood. In fact Sana don’t remember how long back she came down to Barpali. As she is an illiterate lady she opted to do the odd job of cleaning the utensils at Samrat Hotel at a monthly wage of Rs.200/- (less than US $ 4). She keep on working until caught up with the old age. Gradually she lost her job. Now she survives on the old age pension of Rs.300/- (less than US $6) a month that she gets from the Notified Area Council (NAC) of Barpali. She resides in a single room at Mahatam Pada of Barpali by paying a monthly rental of Rs.100/-(less than US $ 2). She cooks the food herself with wood fire. 

For the past one and half years she was getting the grocery from an Oriya girl working in US through this blogger of http://www.barpalidays.blogspot.in/. Unfortunately the foreign aid has been stopped. What to talk of grocery, she don’t even have Rs.1 /- to buy a tablet to counter old age body ache. Now she is at the mercy of the Lord. 

Fortunate is she who every morning sends her children to school and waits every evening for her husband to return home from work. But there is no one in the life of Sana Sahu at this old age. 

kiranbima@gmail.com 

E Mohan Mohan

C/o.Dr.E.R.Rao (MD)

Tehsil Chowk,

At/PO. BARPALI – 768 029

Dist. Bargarh, Orissa, India
Cell # +918249314972