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| Fighting a lone battle: Visually impaired, isolated woman's crusade to survive | | |  Kunal Shrivatsa
Early Times Report
Jammu, May 30: Trying to pick up the threads of her life on her own, the visually impaired septuagenarian, Surajmati's struggle to survive is not only inspiring but a telling tale of courage and determination.
Hailing from Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh, nearly 70-75 years old Surajmati is living life in isolation for the last 7 years at Ranibagh near Jammu Airport in a dingy hut constructed on a piece of land belonging to Airports Authority of India.
Surajmati along with her family had moved to Jammu from Chhattisgarh about thirty years back to earn their livelihood as labourers.
The family settled here and picked up menial jobs, however, Surajmati without knowing that one day she would be destined to stay here permanently as in the course of time, the elderly woman lost all her family members one by one since the cruel hands of death snatched them.
Almost seven years ago, Surajmati's only source of support, her daughter and her husband also passed away there by leaving the old lady all alone while her ill-fate continued to haunt her as she also lost her eye sight completely.
However, as they say "The Lord Helps Those Who Help Themselves" which aptly fits to Surajmati because when all of her support base vanished into thin air, there comes several helping hands to feed her and extend all possible assistance in whatever capacity they could.
With no body around to take care of the aged blind woman, the security personnel guarding the outer portion of Jammu Airport in a security picket located opposite her shanty become real saviours of Surajmati as they provide food, water and all other basic necessities needed by her in routine on regular basis.
While residents of the nearby locality also provide aid and succor to Surajmati from time to time which is somewhat making her life comfortable at this age.
Though she is unable to see anything, Surajmati, according to the security personnel deployed nearby told Early Times that she does all her household chorus on her own including offering prayers early in the morning in a small temple built in the vicinity.
With no body around to take back Surajmati to her native place, the elderly woman is probably predestined to remain here for her entire lifetime. |
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