Saras Mela: Women entrepreneurs rewrite their stories, change destinies

Patna: The stalls and items displayed at Saras Mela at Patna's Gandhi Maidan tell stories that go far beyond crafts and products. Each exhibit stands as a testament to resilience, creativity and the indomitable spirit of women who have risen from odds to rewrite their destinies.Take the story of Rajkumari Devi, fondly known as ‘Kisan Chachi' and winner of Padma Shri and Kisan Shri awards in 2019 and 2007 respectively, who has passed the baton to her future generation, as her son and daughter-in-law, who have set up a stall at the fair, have learned skills from her. "She did not come this time because of winter. However, she is still active," said Chachi's daughter-in-law Neha Kumari, who was seen with her husband Amrendra Kumar, at the stall. Neha considers herself lucky as ‘Kisan Chachi' is her mother-in-law. "I am fortunate to be a member of a family where women are given freedom to pursue their career and convert their hobbies into business, leading to self-dependency and attaining economic freedom," she said.After learning the skills from ‘Kisan Chachi', Neha and her husband have also mastered the art of making pickle, murrabba and papad. "Around 20-25 types of pickles, including those of mango, lemon, garlic, karela (bitter gourd) and carrot among others, tasty murabbas and papad have been displayed for sale," said Neha. Another artisan from Saran, Aarti Devi, who specialises in Sikki grass work, comes from an extremely poor background, but now she is a successful entrepreneur. "The Sikki art work is not new to me, as I have grown-up watching my grandparents doing it. After mastering the art and converting it into a medium to earn my livelihood, things have changed for the better," said Aarti, who now earns around 10,000 per month, which is an additional income besides what her husband earns. Renu Devi, who specializes in Madhubani painting and is representing a producers' group from Darbhanga, said ever since she started the work in 2014, she has never looked back. "Financial condition of our family was not sound, but thanks to the work that I took up with govt's help, I am now earning over Rs 15,000 per month," said Renu, adding, the income has made her self-dependent and it is enough to support the family. Kuresha Khatun's story is no less interesting. Hailing from Muzaffarpur, Kuresha was almost on the verge of selling her house in 2004, but the art of lah bangle-making pulled her out of poverty. "Initially, I started teaching this art to young learners to eke out a livelihood. Now, it is a full-fledged business for our family. Our situation has improved drastically," she said. "Even senior officials visit our place and commend our work," she claimed.Dharamsheela Devi of Koelwar in Rohtas, specialising in stitching, also said how her passion for making dresses is now fetching her money and fame.
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