The Story of Om Shree of Balarpur by Madhvendra Singh Chauhan

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Society
The Story of Om Shree of Balarpur
by Madhvendra Singh Chauhan

Om Shree, 36 year old woman subdued her self interests for the sake of her family. Despite the threats and difficulties, she kept on going and now this woman owns two mini trucks.

It is dark as usual when Om Shree returns from her guava orchard to her home where her siblings would be waiting for her to dine together. Today she has everything to run a family in this small village. But things were not like this for her two decade ago, when she lost her parents and responsibility of all young members came upon her delicate shoulders.

She was only 16 years old. She hoped that in such tough time, her uncles and cousins would help her but to her surprise they all rather than helping were eying to grab her parental land. They beat her many time and spread ill-rumors about her character in the village. "They wanted me to sign on the property papers without any protest. They forced me to leave the village, so that they could take the hold of my ancestral land", she says.

Things were not easy for her in any way. She had nothing called 'money' at home because everything was gone in the treatment of her father who was suffering from Tuberculosis. Her cousins had criminal records so no one stood against them to help her.

"When they failed in their plans to over power me easily as they had planned, they started misleading my younger brothers, by saying that one day I would sell all the property and would flee. One of my brother even started drinking and gambling in their company. My brothers abused me- their elder sister due to the poison filled in them", she says with tears rolling on her cheeks. "I suffered a lot but I decided that I would not let them fulfill their wicked-plans. It is tough for girls to stand against such a situation but I had no other option". she adds further.

However there were many hurdles on her way but her steadfast determination brought her the desired fruit. She used both love and stick to bring her brothers back on the right path. She worked as laborer to feed her siblings. "During the day I used to work on my land and at night I went to harvest wheat crops to earn money to meet the family expenses". she tells.

She tried to file complaint against her cousins but police did not listen to her. Then she decided to transfer the old gun of her father as defence weapon against them (cousins) but problems were tied to her everywhere. "I went Mainpuri (Uttar Pradesh) umpteen times but in vain. Clerks demanded money for 'chai-pani' which I did not have, so no help from the authorities." she tells.

But her work was not done yet. She had two sisters to marry. So to marry one of them, she started working overtime and within two years she collected some money. In 1999, she got her sister married to a well-settled man. The guava orchard planted by her had now started giving plenty in return, so in 2004 she purchased a mini truck with partial loan.

Only in one and and half year she paid the loan and on previous 'Diwali' she purchased another. Her brother Raju said that she had suffered a lot due to them and he would give her all comforts for the rest of life. When asked about her own marriage, she says "If I will marry there is no one to look after them. even today people are behind my property and I can't let them do, no matter how many more sacrifices I may have to do."

Om shree is not much worried now because her brothers have grown up and they are also looking after the work with her.

"We respect her determination to survive in such tough situation, where everything was against her. She is a source of inspiration to us and we want to make all our daughters like her." says a group of women of the village.

March 2, 2008

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