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Honey bee publish details |
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| Category |
CENTENARIAN |
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| Title |
Independent, Even at Ninety |
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| Details |
Even at the age of ninety, Laxmiben can independently do all her household chores. She underwent a cataract surgery three years ago and can thus see clearly. ÒI do not like to mingle with evil-minded people and like the company of only the good-natured,Ó says Laxmiben, who is quite fit for her age. Born in Udaipur, Laxmiben spent her childhood in Kherva village of Mehsana district. Her parents shifted here while she was only six-months-old. The family was visiting her maternal grandparents’ house when Laxmiben’s father passed away. Later, her mother remarried and Laxmiben was raised by her maternal uncle. Laxmiben studied till Standard II and then took to farming and cattle-rearing. She would perform tasks like sharpening grass-cutting tools. As a child, she would often play goroma, gilli-danda and santa kukdi (hide and seek) with her friends.At a tender age of seventeen, Laxmiben got married to Shivrambhai. Over the years, the couple were blessed with two daughters and a son. Laxmiben did not have to work in the fields after her marriage. She recalls that during drought, apart from major scarcity of food, people suffered from throat tumours. Laxmiben too, endured a lot of hardships during those times. In the olden times, it was a custom to tie ambli (tamarind) in teeth, shares Laxmiben. Leaves of pothi (velvetleaf) were used for colouring hands, to get the same colour as would come from henna. Laxmiben also followed customs like covering her head with a dupatta (stole) after marriage. In those times, we were not allowed to mingle or talk with elders. Nobody follows these customs anymore,Ó laments Laxmiben. Untouchability was another prevalent evil. People of backward classes were not allowed to enter the temples and houses of the upper caste. To cure various ailments, Laxmiben used home remedies. She remembers using tulsi (basil), kasundro and phudedo (types of grass) to treat various ailments. ÒEvery household used home remedies back then. Ardusi (vasaka) and tulsi were the most common ingredients because of their healing properties,Ó says Laxmiben. Traditional remedies for animals were widely practiced. When a buffalo came in heat, ramchi (red soil) was applied to cool it down. For increasing the yield of milk, the cattle was fed suva (dill seeds), gur (jaggery) and methi (fenugreek). To heal wounds, guvar (cluster beans) leaves were applied directly over the wound. To treat boil on a person’s body, hathlo was applied. For bobli (tumour in armpit), boiled ambli was given to the person. Alternately, frog’s urine was also used for instant relief. For treatment of boil, leaves of neem were also tied at the infected place with bandage. To treat fever, galo (tinospora) was ground into a paste and given to the person, says Laxmiben, who is an expert when it comes to infection on hands. For storing grains, leaves of neem were used. Women used to powder match sticks and sprinkle over the grains so that they did not get spoilt. Laxmiben laments that traditional recipes are not so popular now. Earlier, they used to have muthias and bhajiyas (deep-fried fritters) made of poi and phang (rivea). In olden times, roosters would crow sharp at 4.30 am, which has become rare now. Laxmiben is fond of birds and is much disappointed that peacocks have reduced in number. She lives on, healthy and strong. ÒI hope to see my grandson getting married one day, sighs Laxmiben. Scout: Swati Kanhaiyalal Prajapati, Gozariya village, Mehsana, Gujarat |
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| Volume No. |
Honey Bee 27(3) 18, 2016 |
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