Slice of Life: ‘Need no aid because we have ability to sustain’

Though I was born in Chennai and grew up here, I still live in a small rented house. While I have been selling flowers in Choolaimedu area for over 20 years, my husband, who is 67 years old, is an auto-rickshaw driver. I don’t know to read and write. I had attended school up to Class 2. However, being the eldest of seven children, I had to drop out because the responsibility of taking care of the younger siblings fell on me. My younger sisters and brother are more educated than me. 

My daily routine includes going to Koyambedu market early in the morning to buy flowers which I would sell in Choolaimedu platform. 

During the days when I am not able to go to the market, I pay other flower vendors to get flowers for me. I have a daughter, who is a nurse, and a son who is a food delivery executive. They are living separately after their marriage. As my husband and I are the only ones at home now, we buy food from hotel to save time. We struggle because of water scarcity, and are able to get only five pots of water a day. So my husband has to fetch water from the street pipes nearby and bring it home in his autorickshaw. We have not applied for any government aid yet, as God has given us the means to sustain on our own.