At 80, smiling Mala Begum sells vegetables
A story of real woman emancipation
Baramulla: Kishore Nahid, a veteran Pakistani feminist poet once wrote – Joote Baichte, Moze Baichte – Aurat Mere Naam Nahi Hai.
She was a feminist, a strong advocate of women emancipation but couldn’t approve the vulgar exhibition of women.
She wanted women to be independent, strong and self made and Kashmir Images finds her ideal on a Baramulla street.
Will and determination can’t be cowed down by the age and that is what this 80-year-young lady from Baramulla is all out to prove.
Mala Begum, 80, sells vegetables on Baramulla streets from past 40 years. Rain and sunshine; curfew and strikes; encounters and grenade blasts – nothing has ever stopped her.
In the busy market of old town Baramulla, Malla Bagum, hardly bothers about complexity of modern life and does her business without any inhibitions and reservations.
The only thing she is concerned about – how many buyers she will get – she means business, strictly so.
Yes, she has compulsions, domestic, to get her out on street everyday but she has no regrets. “I earn for my household respectably and that is what matters at the end of the day,” she told Kashmir Images.
In comparison to the ‘semi-nude’ models being brand ambassadors of several items, Mala represents the women emancipation in real way. And at the same time her presence on the streets mocks at the diseased Talibanized ideology who want woman to be just the second fiddle shrouded in veil.
She doesn’t want to be dependent. She stands on her own feet and earns respectably to run her household.
“I have been selling vegetables from last forty years to earn my livelihood as I have a large family to feed including six daughters. I have to feed them and have no option but to work,” said Malla Begum, having no regrets because working at this age gives her a confidence that she ‘is the best.’
Malla Bagum’s dedication and determination towards her work is visible from her comfy face as she gorgeously deals with every customer. Her work not only provides her satisfaction but she feels proud to be a street vendor as she had to fulfill needs of family.
“For me, work is worship,” she said, adding, “I feel proud to be an earning hand in this age. And it seems nice to work.”
Like Malla Begum, there are dozens of women who are selling vegetables at different street of Baramulla market. While some women are selling vegetable out of compulsion of life to make their both ends meet, some of these women have inherited this job and have been doing it happily.
Sadri Bagum, 50, another vegetable vendor said, “My mother used to sell vegetables here, since she died I took over. My husband is a farmer. This is our ancestral job and I feel happy to do it.”
(Kashmir Images)