Octogenarian Shila grandma and her 'Never say Die attitude'

“I don’t go to bed without watching my favourite television serial at night every day”, smiles the beautiful octogenarian Shila Ghosh.

If you stay in Kolkata and frequently happen to pass the Exide, Haldiram area, you obviously wouldn't have missed noticing this old, feeble woman selling savouries on the streets of Kolkata. And, yes she is also quite popular on Facebook; by popular, I don’t mean she has an account there. But few posts written about her on this social networking site have gone viral and this is how most of us have known her.

I cross Exide every day because my office is located nearby and I also frequently purchase few packets of papad from her.  However, I never got an opportunity to chit chat with this old woman. Last Friday was different, I left office early and just before getting on to the metro, I decided to relish some roadside steamed momos to satiate my evening hunger pangs.  While I was delving deep into my chicken momo, I chanced to have a glance on the other side of the road and noticed that ‘Exide er Dida’ or grandma was sitting at her usual place but she had her left foot bandaged. I quickly finished my momo and crossed the street to purchase few packets of colourful papad from her. Little grandma smiled at me and said “I don’t have anything left; all the packets have been sold off".

I didn't know what to do, I wanted to help her out by purchasing few packets of papad, but now I was clueless. I had earlier read that she doesn't accept donations, so I was bit wary of offering her any kind of financial help.  So I decided to spend some time with her, I asked her if I could sit next to her, she gleamed with joy and welcomed me “You will sit here? Please come na”. Grandma in her white sari looked divine as the street light fell on her and then I instantly realized what it is in her which attracts everyone, including me. 

For those who are not aware, grandma commutes daily from Bali in West Bengal and changes two local buses to reach the Exide More. Yes, unlike others, she doesn't have the luxury or the comfort of enjoying her old age in peace. As life for her almost came to a standstill, when her son was paralyzed and he lost his job. In order to meet his medical expenses, grandma started commuting daily and earning her daily wage by selling papads on the pavement. Hope life would have been less harsh on her, but as she says " I came to this world with this destiny and I don't repent it. " It became impossible for her to manage the household expenses, when her ailing son left for heavenly abode and her daughter-in-law got bedridden few years back.However Shila Grandma like always with her grit and determination successfully crossed every hurdle in her life with her never say die attitude.

She always wanted to live a life with dignity and that is the reason she knew she would never beg on the streets. She braved all odds to run her family and even made her grandson learn driving who today earns his living as a driver.Grandma says that owing to the inflation in price of all the items and the unending medical expenses which her family has to bear, it is not possible for her to sit at home even.

Last week, her leg got sprained after she met with a bus accident, but things haven't changed for her, as you will still find her seated in her usual place every evening.

While conversing with her, I realized that she might be hungry; to which she politely refused and said she hardly manages to eat anything these days. I was quite amazed to hear her schedule after she reaches home daily. “I have only tea and paan and yes I watch Television before I hit the bed every day."  While this tête-à-tête was going on, there were several inquisitive people gaping at us trying to figure out what was going on, some even came and inquired about her health and the rest came to purchase papad from her, who had to return empty handed. While I was engrossed in the conversation, her attention diverted and she started fidgeting with her faded bag. She took out a Rs 10 note from a worn out purse and requested me if I could get her two zarda paan from the shop nearby. I didn't know what to say, simply looked at her in awe, refused to take the money and got her two zarda paan. I realized that the more time I was spending with her, it was getting more difficult for me to leave her and go.

Before leaving I gave her some money and to my surprise, she counted the notes, smiled at me and said "Today I will use this money while returning home.” I bade her goodbye, asked her to take care of her health and headed straight to the metro station. 

It’s my humble request to all of you, if you are in Kolkata, please do find some time and at least go and meet her once, she loves to have people around her. In case you plan to offer her any kind of financial help, please go ahead with it, as she is in dire need of money, more so owing to her deteriorating health condition and the rising medical expenses of her daughter-in-law. If you stay outside Kolkata and still wish to help her financially do let me know, we can surely work out something. J