Aaita: Elderly and street pauper, yet no beggar!

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Feb 18: There are multiple ways of living a life, varying from individual to individual. Aaita, as all call her, is one of the numerous homeless who spend their nights on footpaths. Her plight on the streets makes passersby turn their heads. She shies away from talking whenever anyone wants to. She also chases whoever teases her.

An octogerian Aaita, as part of her daily chores, was seen cooking her dinner on Saturday evening on the footpath beside Lawyers Book Stall at Panbazar. She was cooking curry and rice on the flickering flame from a traditiol oven made of bricks. Her thoroughly washed utensils were shining. They were kept tidily.

“She has been doing it for years and on. No one knows where she came from. She maintains a healthy routine in spite of living on streets. She is hygienic too. In the morning before going to glean scrap she prepares tea and takes it as breakfast. She makes food once a day. Her earning is what she gets by selling scrap materials,” Yasin Ali of Lawyers Book Stall said.

Yasin said that Aaita maintains cleanliness while doing her activities and never resorts to unhygienic behaviour. She does her dishes regularly and cleans the footpath as well after having food.

“She cleanses herself at the Panbazar water supply plant. Since when we know her, we never saw her begging. She returns the few rupees we give her sometimes, whenever she makes money,” Yasin added.

“Yum! The curry she has cooked looks delicious! She cooks better than we do,” a passerby said.