Women's Day not for every woman

Though there is joy and a sense of achievement at the celebration of the 100th Women’s International Day for today's woman, who knows her freedom and can demand her rights in the society, but for several unfortunate, like for example the 73 year old Mallamma, life continues to be an unending series of challenges, especially for one who is not aware of the happenings in the world around her and continues to see herself as an inconsequential existence.

Hailing from a village named Pallya near Kollegalla, Mallamma was married off when she was just 12 years old and by the time she turned 15, she already had three sons. Her husband who was to addicted to drinking, lost all the inherited property in gambling and passed away when she was 29 years old following a brief illness.

Now it fell on Mallamma's shoulders to raise her three sons. Her first one Malliyappa became a Shirastedar, the second son became a car driver to the District Judge, while the third son Siddaraja Nayak got a job in the Chamarajanagar Police Station. Unfortunately her first two sons too passed away, while only the last son is surviving now.

Mallamma moved into the Mysore Court premises around 40 years ago along with Malliyappa and began selling groundnut, bananas, coconut berfi and toffee to eke out her livelihood. Malliyappa got Shirastedar's job in the Court.

Reminiscing those past days Mallamma said that the Court then had only one door, with just nine advocates. There was a Co-operative Society in this Court premises which sold rations like rice and wheat.

His son went to villages on official duty and after his retirement he too passed away leaving her all alone. With his pension amount of Rs 2000 and along with her daily earnings, she is now leading a life of solitude in a rented house.

When asked about Women’s Day celebrations, she said ‘I don’t know much about these celebrations, but I am quite happy to see women dressing well and going out in a happy spirit, doing their daily schedules.'

Mallamma called upon women not to lose hope during any situation in life and advised them to always remain positive while boldly face life's challenges, because a woman by nature reacts emotionally in any situation which makes her easily vulnerable while also making her nervous and agitated.