Post News Network
Keonjhar, April 19: Age has failed to snatch the zest for life of a centenarian and her 88-year old daughter.
At an age when other women would have been seeking physical support for their daily works, they remain active and perform daily chores by their own.
Kasi Ben Teja (104) with her daughter Keluken Teja, living at Buladar Sahi in the district headquarters town here, goes to market to buy necessities of life everyday.
Kasi, who was recently felicitated by the Gujarati Samaj of Keonjhar, says her family originally hailed from Nagalpath village in Kutch district of Gujarat. She had been staying in the district for the last 90 years. Kasi said Keluken was born when the family was staying in Anandapur town. Keluken, who studied up to Class-V, got married but her husband left her after few years of marriage.
As she suffered two miscarriages, her husband left her forcing her to stay with her parents.
Kasi’s husband Laljibhai Teja was a famous salt trader in Anandapur area, where the family was well-established. However, after the death of Laljibhai in 2000, their houses and landed property were sold at throw-away prices.
After losing all their property, the mother-daughter duo became homeless. Finding no other option, they travelled to Buladar Sahi of Keonjhar town expecting help from the Guajarati Samaj, a society constituting Guajarati people staying in Keonjhar.
According to their neighbour Arun Kumar Sahu, the mother-daughter duo has been staying in a rented house in Buladar Sahi. They have been getting allowances from the government. However, their eyesight has become poor and they cannot hear properly due to old age. Very often they fell ill.
Despite all these problems, they remain active and perform their daily routine by their own. They go to market and buy their necessary items. Their active lifestyle is a source of inspiration for the people staying around them, says their neighbour Ram Dulari Pandia.