I Do Not Have Any Help at Home

I am Lobhabati Sahoo. I am 40 years old. I live in Malanda village of Jagasinghpur district of Odisha, India. My family is small – my husband, our son and I. I am a weaver. My day starts early. I wake up around five in the morning. The first thing I do is go to the guhala (cattleshed) and fold my hands to worship them because they are important for us. I clean thehouse including the front and backyard of the house. After washing the dishes from the previous night, I make tea for the three of us – my husband, son and myself – and we eat flattened rice with sugar. We livein my godfather’s house. I do not have any help at home. I do all the housework. My morning’s work is done around 7 AM. I start weaving around 7 AM and do it for two hours. At 9 AM, I take my bath and pray to our Gram Devi (village Goddess). I prepare lunch for my family after puja. We eat together around 1:00 -2 PM. I don’t take any rest after lunch. After lunch I weave for three hours continuously till 5 PMas it the only source of income for us. Around 5 PM our cattle return from the field. I feed them and tie them back in their shed. This is when I have some time for rest. I talk to our neighbours. Beforeit gets dark, I clean around ourhouse.Then I wash myself, light the sanja, the evening light for the Gods, and do my evening payer.I switch off my mobile phone and weave for another two hours– from 7 to 9 PM.We usually eat what is left over from lunch. Sometimes I fry a little vegetable to add to our meal. I have to weave in order to run my family. We do not have any land. I eat around 9:30 PM. By 10 or 10:30 PMI go to sleep. Once a week or once in two weeks when I go to the Cooperative Society to deliver my products.My husband helps with cooking. My husband does not know weaving. He works as a daily labourer. I manage all the weaving process – from warping, spinning bobbin to weaving. On some days when I don’t feel well, I askmy relatives to assist me in the warping process. (Transcribed and translated from Odia by PankajaSethi, Kala aur Katha, Bhubaneswar, India.) Edited and Published by GAATW for monthly e-magazine on Women Workers for Change, August 2021

No One Else Is Earning in My Family

I am Subhadra Patra. I am 21 years old. I live in Nuapatana village in Cuttack district of Odisha, India. Weaving is the traditional occupation of my family. Now I work as a garment worker. My day starts around 6 AM. I wash my face, brush my teeth and then I go to pick flowers for morning Puja. Then I go to the market to buy some breakfast. After eating my breakfast, I clean the house and take my bath. I change my clothes, comb my hair and get ready for the day. For the last two months I have been assisting my brother-in-law in the saree business as my sister is expecting a child and can’t do much work. So after breakfast, I go to their place. I return home at 2pm to eat lunch and again go back to work. I take rest for 30 minutes. At 3:30 PM, I go to the Nuapatna Centre to do some tailoring work and return home at 5 PM. I collect water from the tube well and sweep my house. If I have orders, I stitch the garments at home or I just practice tailoring. In the evening, I cook with my mother. I try to study in the evening and teach my niece. Around 10 -10:30 PM, I eat dinner and go to sleep. My parents are very old. Both of them used to weave. Now they are unable to weave or do any kind of work. Both of my older sisters are married. I work at my brother-in-law’s house to get a small amount of money because no one else is earning in my family. My eldest sister and my niece stay with us for convenience. There is a lot of financial pressure. (Translated from Odia by Pankaja Sethi, Kala aur Katha, Bhubanewar, India.) Edited and Published by GAATW for monthly e-magazine on Women Workers for Change, August 2021