Slice of Life: ‘I hope my granddaughter fulfils her big dreams’

Chennai

This is a job that my grandparents did, and then my parents, and now I am doing it. I really like to do it. I have been learning how to string the beads ever since I was a child. Now, I can do it really well and really fast. By the time we have been talking, I could have got one done already. People buy the necklaces that I sell, but it is not a lot. I do not count how much money I make. Some days are good, some are bad. At the end of the day, I have to make sure that I make enough to get food for the day. That is all that matters. We get beads from Agra. I went to Agra to buy some beads and bangles. It was so cold there. The products are cheap, and the people there have a different style of making the necklaces. They are also very fast when they do it. I wanted to speak to them, but I did not know the language. I have four daughters, and we live near the library in Kotturpuram. They too are into this profession. They did not want to study much. Even their children do not want to study, except for the youngest, Pooja. She really loves to study. She goes for a tuition nearby, and that man really helps her with her studies. She has been saying she will build houses for her parents and grandparents. She has got big dreams, and I hope she fulfils them.