‘as Father, I’ve Earned; As Mother, I’ve Fed My Children’

NEW DELHI: In the “masculine realm” that is Ghazipur sabzi mandi, the name ‘Didi’ has stuck.

“Baap banke kamaya, maa banke bachon ko khilaya (as father, I’ve earned; as mother, I’ve fed my children),” Suman, better known as ‘Didi’, says, hurriedly gathering her belongings as she starts her e-rickshaw. She must make two more trips today - ferrying a variety of produce from suppliers to shop-owners and retailers in the bustling Ghazipur Sabzi Mandi - before she can return home with her day’s earnings.

As business in the mandi moves in full swing, a sea of men move in and out of the frame - touting, shouting, buying, bickering, haggling, and cursing.

In the predominently male bastion, one can miss the 12-odd women rickshaw drivers. But they are very much present, towing the weight of the magnanimous enterprise on 2-inch-wide wheels as they keep mandi operations running.

Suman, a 46-year-old widow, was once the first woman e-rick driver in the mandi. Recalling how she came upon the livelihood, his face turned grim. “After my husband died in an accident, I worked at a factory to make ends meet. But my back failed to keep up. My father and brother helped me set up a small vegetable stall. It was during this time, I began learning to drive father’s auto,” Suman says.

Amid challenges, she wears smile

Tragedy struck again in 2017 when her elder son passed away in a road accident. However, Suman persevered, perhaps solely driven by the need to support her younger son.

Now, Suman’s day involves making three or four trips to the mandi, bringing some Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 daily. Her life’s challenges have taken their toll; she has known chills, hunger, and loss, and an accident has left her a broken foot. Yet, when we saw her Friday afternoon, catching her off guard while she toiled at the mandi, she met us with a smile.

Suman says, “Who says women can’t thrive in male-dominated spaces! At least give us a chance. Do you see any facilities for a woman here? A place to rest, clean drinking water, a safe and clean toilet for women workers in the mandi? Nothing.”

She then goes on to complain about the garbage strewn across the market and the ruckus of vehicles on the narrow lanes. Suman’s hard work has made her somewhat of a respected figure in the mandi, with people acknowledging her with a smile or “Kaise hai, Didi? (How’re you, Didi?),” as she passed.