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| Name |
Late Meyben Devanandbhai Ram |
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| Address |
Village Morvad, Taluka Kodinar, District Junagadh |
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| Category |
CENTENARIAN |
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| Title |
“Jivan me svavlamban hona chahiye, doosron ke upar aadhar rakhna nahi chahiye. Aisi jindagi jiyo ki logo ko prerna mile. Mare mare se jina koi jindagi nahi hai. Jivan main aagey badhney ka dhyey rakho, use pura karne ki koshish karo. Jivan ko sahaj |
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| Details |
A gritty lady who had lived for more than 120 years with lots of ups and downs is what Meyben’s story is all about. Her fifth generation still recalls her with fond memories. Her life is a living library and a great ‘institution’.
Early days
Late Meyben Devanandbhai Ram got married to Late Kalabhai Chedera, when she was 16. She moved with her in-laws to Morvad1 when she turned 21. Meyben was blessed with four children; two boys and two girls. All of them practised farming and cattle rearing. Meyma had a happy, fulfilled married life.
The big drought and the survival
About a hundred years ago, there was a severe drought in the region. Her family would go without food for several days. They would somehow manage to feed their children and put them to sleep. Many people died without food or water during the drought. Barely had they finished cremating one person, there would be another dead body. When we talked to Meyben, she recalled that when people died and there was not much wood to burn them they would pile up the dead bodies against a wall and bury them with the earthen wall debris. Incidents of arson, loot and rape had become common during that period.
Good times back again
Over a period of time, the government came out with several employment schemes. Along with other villagers, Meyben and her family availed them. She would also take her kid along, whom she placed under the shade of a brick pile while she completed the work. Meyben proudly admits that she never gave any medicine to her children, all through their childhood except the juice from Neem tree’s roots.
After the onset of the monsoon, people restarted working in their fields. The earth had been revived after fallowing and therefore became very fertile. Meyben recalls that the yield was much more than before. They had enough milk and ghee as the cattle got enough to eat and thus grew in numbers, just like in the earlier days.
Granny talks of grains
The grains (kang, corn, bajri, millets, etc.) were stored safely in ‘kotlas’. People earlier were healthier as organic agriculture was practised and food was cooked in earthen vessels. Kodaya variety of cotton was grown, which was disease resistant. Moreover, feeding its seeds to animals increased their milk production.
Healing the sick
When people fell sick, they would use a commonly available creeper called ‘Kukadvela’ (Luffa echinata Roxb.). The herb was ground and mixed with cow dung and water in a ‘deg’ (a special vessel for boiling water). The mixture was then boiled and the steam was inhaled. This cured the fever immediately. Drinking the juice of aavan/aaval (Cassia auriculata L.) tree bark, every morning could cure stomach aches. Fever could also be cured by drinking the juice prepared from neem roots. Meyben had told the HB team, “If I had fever, I would drink some buttermilk and the fever would be cured.”
Secret of Longevity
“The secret to my long life is traditional food and food habits. We used to eat handmade rotlo (pancakes) of bajro and millets. In those times, we did not have palm olein oil. Instead we would use sesame or groundnut oil”
-Late Meyben
Ghee and milk were also used extensively. At the same time, she told us, “But mind you, I would also work as much as I ate. But the main reason behind my long life is my inner strength and self-confidence. I had learnt to survive in any condition. Even today, at this age, I have no trouble in walking though my eyesight is a little weak.” She also added in Hindi “ab meri kaya nahi chalti, mai ne jindagi me bahut kam kiya, ab aap logo ko kam karne ka mehnat karne ka samay aa gaya hai. Agar kam nahi karoge to bhukhe maroge. khub mehnat karo aur khao pio khush raho.” Her advice to this generation was to work hard like she did, else face starvation. One could metaphorically compare starvation with spiritual or intellectual deprivation.
Others around her still fondly remember Meyben and say, “Apna kam sahi tarike se, samay par karna agar kisiko sikhna hai to vo Meyben se sikhe”. (If someone needs to know how to do things right and on time there is no better role model than Meyben)
Scout: Parmar Bhavesh
Organization: B.P.S College Shardagram (Mangrol)
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| Volume No. |
Honey Bee 22(4) & 23(1) 12, 2012 |
