She is not a rich farmer and earns a modest Rs three lakhs per year from her vegetable produce on a seven-acre plot of land. But she has a heart of gold. She is Chhayarani Sahu, a 57-year-old farmer living in her native village Kuruda in Odisha’s Bhadrak district. She has been distributing free vegetables to the residents of at least 15 nearby villages since the lockdown was enforced in the aftermath of the Corona virus pandemic.
She enlisted the support of her family for the noble cause and they have distributed more than 25 quintals of fresh vegetables from the stock that they possessed. Besides, she also distributed around 30 litres of milk from the cows that her family rears to villagers and police personnel on lockdown duty.
A mother of four, Chhayarani is proud to be a farmer. She has been growing vegetables for the past 20 years on the farm, besides rearing 20 cows for dairy farming. Her husband Sarbeswar Sahu lends her a helping hand in her farming and dairy business.
“I had been doing this before the lockdown as well. Whenever people are in need, I help out by distributing vegetables and milk to them. People would come home to collect vegetables. Besides, I would also give 1-2 kg of ghee for various yajnas (rituals) and distribute milk among senior citizens who don’t rear cattle,” she told The Better India website.
What is commendable is that her own family’s plight has not affected her desire to give to people. Chhayarani admits that the Corona virus crisis has hit the family hard and they are finding it tough to sell their vegetables for a reasonable price. Traders are taking advantage of the situation and are offering one-sixth of the normal price for the produce.
But Chhayarani is looking beyond her difficulties and thinking of the poor and needy who are far worse off than her.
It is they who really need help and she is reaching out to them in this hour of crisis.
(Source: Media reports)
