Chandra : a homeless moon
We were told that we will walk around 7 km only, before we break for lunch, but we ended up walking almost 12 km. It was the 17th day of our yatra.
We reached Patewari Village around 1pm and had a wonderful lunch. I stayed back at the village, primarily because I was too tired and secondly because my co-walker Javier asked me that if I could help him with some interviews.
As we entered the village, I met Chandra, a tribal woman, living in the village Patewari. She has 3 sons and 1 daughter and all of them are married.
She was very welcoming and took us to her home. Her home, well it was a small hut in which she lives along with her son and daughter in law.
” My home, it’s small and now it feels more empty after my husband died. ”
Chandra and her family has been fighting for a better place to live. A better home, to live in.
“I don’t want a mansion, and I don’t want to it for myself either. A better place could allow my children to live properly. At present, we three are sharing a single room. ”
She has applied for various government schemes to get a proper housing.
She has also given around 30,000 rupees over the period to various secretary and sarpanch. Her daughter in law has also gone to the capital city (Bhopal) but her voice was still unheard.
“Nobody listens to the voice of a poor aadivasi. I lost my husband to this struggle, he fought till his last breath for a better place and now my family is struggling. ”
She said that her husband was beaten up in their fields by the dominant people of their village and he died within 15 days of that incident. But now her sons are more busy in making a living for their survival.
Chandra ( which in hindi, means moon) is still waiting for a proper shelter as a moon waits to be complete.
