A woman in her twenties arrives from Kerela to Bihar
as a teacher way back in 1965.Coming from a well off family she has just heard
of the poverty and deprivation in Bihar. Deep inside she knew she wanted to
work for the needy and downtrodden .Spending some evening hours at a leprosy
centre and assisting the medical staff during cholera outbreaks, the deaths, the
caste and class differentiation even in extreme poverty moved her. She came across a community
called Musahar community ,the most backward of all where the men folk worked
daily as labors and then drank in
evening, women were abused ,girls were married off at the age of 7-8 years
,dirt and filth occupied their colonies, poverty has taken such an ugly form
that they started eating “Rats” and to her utter shock, rapes of the girls by
dominant caste groups were a common occurrence
,never reported.
“Sudha Didi “
as they fondly call Padmashree Sudha Verghese ,the woman behind Nari
Gunjan of Bihar empowering dalit girls and women since 21 years ,Ask Sudha didi
and she will tell you her journey as a woman in a man’s world ,no one can uphold
MARDANI in such a true sense as her.
From constructing nalas to demanding equal pay for
work for the women ,educating their children to making aware of their rights, Sudha
Didi was everywhere on her cycle, at their call . Though there are endless
stories of service and humanity by this lady what really made me salute her was
when she decided to fight against the rape of the dalit girls .It all started
when she persuaded the family of a Gang rape victim in 1997 to file an FIR
against the rapists assuring them that their prevails a justice of land and the
accusers just can’t walk away. The dominant caste from which the rapists
belonged came to their colony and threatened them. They could have never
imagined that a frail looking Sudha didi was the strength behind women standing
against them .After Thana gheraos, Road blocks, petitions , dhamki,years of legal fight and attempts to
even shoot her she managed to put the rapists behind the bars .It lits up her
eyes when she tells me that within two years of that incident ,9 rape cases
were reported which brought down the incidences of rape as a tool to suppress
women of lower caste.
From a lady who just walked into a musahar tola to
stop the child marriage of a 8 year old girl ,as I pass through the girls
hostel to meet Sudha Didi ,I saw a group of girls training for karate,somewhere
inside girls were practicing instrumental music ,some were studying and as they
wished me Good evening didi ,I realized that this woman has pulled these girls
out of the trap of poverty ,rape and oppression through her Nari Gunjan which has 250 hostels,
550 self help groups and now giving training to thousands of girls for making
them self dependent.
I ask her –what drives you to work tirelessly for
these girls?
Sudha Didi- I found meaningfulness in life by
dedicating my life to them ,to the people who were left with no choices.I have
seen many deaths, multiple struggles which gives me hope to carry forward this
journey with people. It’s a blessing of God that I chose to work for them and
without their support ,their generosity ,their love and care I could not have
done what ever has been achieved .Its these people who drive me ,they eat a chapati
less but they never forget to feed me ,they catch fish and rats and gift it to
me as a matter of gratitude. what more can I ask for
I Ask her –At any point of time ,do you regret not
having a family, coming to Bihar?
Sudha didi- Never! My family comprises thousands
,why would I regret
She smiles and we wave goodbye to her and to all the
girls ,I am returning back again to teach Dance to the girls ,I was happy,I was
contempt that I came to meet Sudha Verghese for the “MARDANI BLOGGING Contest”
but above that I was carrying back utmost respect and a sense of service from
her.
Some days make you a better person, I Just had one J
This is written as
a part of I am
Mardaani activity exclusively at BlogAdda.com for Indian Bloggers.
