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Honey bee publish details |
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| Name |
lben Kalyanbhai Kukadia |
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| Category |
CENTENARIAN |
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| Title |
Bearing with pain, enhances it |
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| Abstract |
It is said ‘Life begins at 40', but in this village near Bhavnagar, it is believed that people are actually reborn when they complete 100 years. This belief could almost be true, for 113 year old Davalben has a brand new set of teeth and even black hair like that of a child. With a little regret in her tone, she says, “have jyaare khavanu, jovanu samay aayu tyaare mare javanu.” (Now when I am able to eat good things and see different places, I have to leave [die].) |
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Born in a family of four brothers and three sisters in the village of Kundhaliya near Talaja, Davalben had a fun-filled childhood. Her father had ample land for farming. Though there wasn’t enough money, they were happy. She and her siblings enjoyed eating neem fruits ripened by using a unique process. They buried the raw fruits about two feet deep in the ground and it took only two days for the fruits to turn yellow and ripen. She also remembers playing “Rahdo” (a dance form similar to Garba) and stapoo as a child. “Nana nata, pan sukhihata” (Money was less, but we were happy). Davalben was married at the age of 12, a second wife to Kalyanbhai in Royale with Rs 700 given as dowry. Her in-laws owned 50 bighas of farming land and were financially sound. Even after
her marriage she didn’t have to work much. She rarely went to the fields; she stayed at home to look after the animals and do the household chores.
Davalben has one surviving son and three daughters. She has lost two sons. She recalls a bitter incident when having received a complaint about her son, she slapped him, to which he responded by bringing a stick to beat her. She later promised never to hit him if he would behave himself. Davalben wishes that her great grandchildren would behave well, however she laments that they just don’t listen. She also told of a nightmarish experience in her life when she suffered a lot of physical and mental agony from violence against her. This was when Davalben’s brothers-in-law beat her up for no reason. She says that they just didn’t think too much. Davalben firmly believes that a human being should never be violent. About 41 years ago a flood in the village completely destroyed Davalben’s house. The renovation costed about Rs 4000 and now the house is quite spacious and lavish.
Decades ago, Davalben’s diet consisted mainly of sorghum, milk products, vegetables and dals.Her grand daughters claim that now Chinese is her favourite cuisine and she also enjoys fast-food like pani puri, pizza, pav bhaji, dosas and the like. At the age of 60, Davalben went on a pilgrimage with her husband to “Char Dham” (i.e. Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram), which was a memorable experience. She is extremely religious and wakes up at 5 am to recite her prayers. Her family in lighter vein call her as “the most accurate alarm”. Davalben can recite the entire Ramayana and Mahabharat. She believes that a person should believe in God despite all difficulties.
“ Bhukhe maaru bhoye suvdavu tanni padu khal,
Bhagwan kahe api mane na chhode toh pachhi karu nihaal.”
(Will keep you hungry, make you sleep on the floor, will push you off the cliff, God says, if then also you do not leave me (or lose your trust on me), I will give you prosperity)
On the day of Makar Sankranti, she gifts one-meter cloth to anyone who visits her. During Diwali, she donates some money to the poor and needy. After having her food, she feeds the dogs too.
She feels that today’s generation although educated and intelligent, is also naughty and indulges in meat eating and alcohol. She blames the extremes in the weather conditions for her breathing problems.
Davalben is revered in her village and villagers often visit her to seek her blessings. She now desires to live long enough to witness the weddings of her great grandchildren.
Some of the herbal practices she follows are:
Snake bite: Apply ghee and onion juice on the affected part. The victim should also consume ghee to vomit out the poison.
Fever: Use ‘Khadsaliyu’ & ‘Mamejvu’ (Enicostemma littorale Blume)
Headache: Tie leaves of castor plant on forehead.
Stomach ache: Consume Ironweed.
Milk, Ghee (Desi), Onion, Alum, Imli are some of the foods applied after a snake bite by some communities (Atta Muhammad Chandio, Pervaiz Sandelo, Ali Akbar Rahu, S. Tousif Ahmed, Amir Hamzo Dahri and Rashida Bhatti,2000.JAMC, 12(3), 3-5. Accessed at http://ayubmed.edu.pk/JAMC/PAST/12-3/Chandio.pdf on 30 May, 2014): Ed.
Scouts : Saurabh Chopra & Sagar Verma
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| Volume No. |
Honey Bee 25(2) 7, 2014 |
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