Leading a high-spirited life

Durgavva Yamanappa Harijan, led half of her life full of repercussions of the tormenting devadasi system. After this system was brought to an end, like many other women of the village, Durgavva (single mother) was left with three sons to take care of. She began working hard to raise her children and her elderly mother. “My mother and I began working as farm labourers,” said Durgavva. About 15 years later today, her sons have grown up and one of them is well settled in a nearby city called Miraj. The other two sons drive tempo. Her elderly mother cannot work on the farms now. She says, “I earn Rs 150 per day working on the farms, that’s why I was looking for an additional source of income.” So, she purchased two goats with the help of a small loan that she took from Milaap partner MASS. The goat rearing worked well for her and she thus decided to set up another enterprise- buffalo husbandry business. For this she took the second loan of Rs 30,000. The buffalo gives milk which is used for family consumption and the calf which Durgavva plans to raise, sell and earn good profits. Durgavva is aged 47 years old but her energy and enthusiasm are like that of a teenager. Her past doesn’t affect her present and she does not worry about her future. As she offered me a cup of fresh milk, she told me how grateful she was for the kind of life she leads today. I so wanted to compliment her saying, “That’s the spirit!”. Unable to find the right words, I just shook hands with her and took a leave..