Rupa Behind Overwhelming Odds

Rupa behind the wheels

Rupa behind overwhelming odds

For Single mother Rupa, life was not bed of roses. After her husband deserted her and ran away, to eke out a living she was doing odd jobs but nothing could bring her steady income. Any small business she thought of, there were many opposition from her kids and relatives.

At last she tried and settled with local retail business of fruits, vegetables, groceries. She hired a mini truck with driver to go to whole sale market situated on the 160 Kilometer long highway between Hosur and Mettur in Tamilnadu. She used to pick up and return with day’s load of vegetable and fruits to sell in uzahavar sandhai (vegetable market) at kollathurin Mettur. The retailing business was going smoothlyfor some months.

It was peak of monsoon and a couple of hours before dawn; inincessant rain, Rupa set out for the usual trip in the hired vehicle, to pick up fruits and vegetables from the wholesale market. She noticed that a new driver was on duty.

The visibility was marred by the pouring rain and driver seemed to be finding it bit difficult to drive properly. Enroute,the truck had developed some technical glitch resulting in engine stalling often. Attributing this to poor upkeep of the vehicle, she told the driver to ensure periodical maintenance of vehicle. As he was already under the influence of sarayam(a local cheap intoxicating drink), the driver got annoyed and irritated. He drove zigzag, with headlights on into the poorly visible highway.

Rupa had anxious moments and out of concern for the driver and herself, she politely told him to drive carefully and to give up drinking. This was enough for the altercations to begin between the driver and Rupa. In a fit of anger, he decided to teach her a lesson. He stalled the vehicle!

In a calm manner his soft voice told Rupa,“self-starting has failed; I think battery is down; you need to alight and push the vehicle a little from rear”. She got down, drenched in the pouring rain went to the rear of the vehicle and as she placed her palms on the rear of the vehicle to push,the engine roared and the vehicle zoomed a few yards. The driver peeped his head out, shouted through rain to Rupa, “you buy, own, maintain and drive a vehicle; bye-bye sister”. Rupa stood dazed, staring at the disappearing vehicle away from her into the rains.

The sarcasm in the driver’s utterances was the key-moment; she learnt her life’s lesson; that is to be self-reliant. This was the moment when she became determined to own, drive and continue to do the business that she had been doing all along.

Very next day, she took lessons of driving commercial vehicle and within a week or so, became confident. She bought a small vehicle for her “work”. Soon she found it was uneconomical in terms of trips, time, money and maintenance. Through her contacts she spoke to an official of a reputed dealer of commercial vehicle at Salem;very next working day she settled terms and conditions and signed hire purchase agreement with the dealer and with her mother on toe, she drove out the mini-vehicle “dost” – supposed to be the very first in that category –manufactured by the company.

With truck, fully loaded, switching on to her favourite songs, Rupa now happily changing gears, overtaking all in her work. She cherishes that moment and thanks her tutelary deity for exposing her to that “determined moment” which made her what she is to-day.

Her dream was to earn a name for herself and command respect from the society. I believe she had just accomplished and it is a proud moment for her tribe.

Inputs from my late colleague and class mate retired from board & management of reputed vehicle manufacturer

Thanks to trigger from @sln post Life Style Changes With Domestic Staff

 

This is what is called one of the fantastic rapturous FB stating solid visible and practical examples of living despite Himalayan Obstacles and barricades.
Hip hip hooray
2. Bundles of cash women in business or not seemed to carry for safety and security in their ATM. ONE see them taking cash from odd places on their person in retail segments especially street vendors!
Thanks and Regards.

 

Good query.
2. Drinking among drivers as a community known since ages and in Tamil Nadu it is government sponsored in an indirect manner. Even school children began nurturing this habit in groups and school authorities scared to take action and also they do not waste their time in police formalities etc. they found it easy to remain complacent. Rupas of Salem and interior tier 3 cities and rural areas in TN sarayam proliferated deep many families are on the verge of collapse.
3. Son kills drunken dad to protect mother - such juvenile cases are up. Only bold Rupas are need of the hour.
4. Rupas of today are docile learn any trade or work & capable of handling seemingly formidable situations with ease. In Kerala& Tamil Nadu men clambersare fast replaced by women and coconut growers claim with women clambers their productivity gone up by leaps and bound.
5. Thanks and with this I presume answered your apprehensions.
Regards.
God lends succour in the form of will power to dynamic women.

 

@nakshatra1
Thanks for clicking the LIKE OPTION.
2. Looking forward to your comments which I value.
Regards.
God lends a semblance of happiness for readers in IL.

 

Thanks for your appreciation. Rupa would accept your salute when I meet her next!
2. Comments are note worthy. I love it.
Regards.
God gives guts to everyone some uses it ; in others it is latent.