Parwinder Sandhu
New Delhi, Dec 9 (UNI) ‘There is no limit to what women can accomplish,’ the sentiment echoed powerfully at the Saras Aajeevika Food Festival, which concluded in the national capital today, leaving behind not just the aroma of regional cuisines but also a trail of stories of courage, rediscovery and newfound confidence.
For hundreds of women entrepreneurs from villages and small towns, stepping out from the confines of their homes for the first time, the festival became a vista of business opportunities, a turning point, a journey in self-belief and empowerment.
For 35-year-old Satvinder Kaur, a widow with two daughters, the festival marked a new beginning. Hailing from Faridkot in Punjab, Kaur had set up the stall selling Makki Di Roti and Sarson Da Saag.
“I lost my husband a few years ago. With no male member left in my family, I had no option but to lease out our agricultural land. This is the first time I have come out of my house to earn on my own. It is a new experience and I am going back with so much confidence,” Kaur said, adding that she has earned around Rs. Five lakh in profit, an amount she once never imagined making independently.
Hailing from Manpur Village of Udham Singh Nagar in Uttarakhand, for Kajal, the participation in Saras festivals across the country means supporting her husband in running the house. Her husband runs a roadside cart selling chowmein and momos, and rising household expenses had begun to push the family into distress.
“Since 2022 I have been participating in the festival and have travelled to Kerala, Noida, and Gurgaon. I make around Rs 5-6 lakh, an amount that has not only ensured a better life for my family but also renewed the confidence in me,” she added.
From the Kashmir Valley came 27-year-old Rumeena Ahad. A postgraduate currently pursuing B.Ed, Rumeena carries an aspiration many young women nurture silently, to fund her own education. For her, the festival was a classroom in marketing, communication and courage.
“Initially, I used to be very hesitant to interact with strangers. But now, I know how to sell my products and also explain the significance of the ingredients used to make our traditional Kashmiri cuisine.”
Organised jointly by the Ministries of Rural Development, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and Women and Child Development, the ten-day festival saw women from 25 states serving over 500 traditional and delicious dishes through 62 stalls.
Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan said that our "Lakhpati Didis" have proved that they wield immense powers. “In fact, they have written a new saga of progress, development and prosperity with their hard work. Today, Lakhpati Didis have come from 25 states and many of them are showing the way to the entire country with their qualities, hard work and dedication,” the minister said.
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