Soibam Birla Devi - Doll Maker - |
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By: Thingnam Anjulika Samom * |
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Differently abled, disabled, handicapped, crippled – the terminology might differ according to one’s ideological leanings, education and empathetic understanding.
She also do hand embroidery work, sometimes working through the night to complete work on a phi in three days flat. “There are lots of training programmes I have heard about and want to enroll, but I am unable to do that as it would involve someone else to help me,” she says. Birla has participated in various mela and exhibitions in the state. She was also given the state merit award last year for her work. “Whatever I earn goes towards my medical expenses which come to about Rs 3000 every month. On top of that I have to have a blood transfusion every year, and sometimes it is just difficult trying to make ends meet on my own. It is during such times that I get depressed and rue my fate and scold my mother for being unable to help me. I know it is not her fault, she is trying her best to help me. But she is uneducated, and over all growing older. I should be helping her in her old age, and here I am, making her care for me even at this age,” she says. Birla is 29 years old. Birla’s despondency has a golden side – it makes her heart large enough to encompass the suffering of many others. “What I can save up after all the expenditure I give to the orphanages. I know I don’t have much money but I also know that these children are as destitute and unfortunate as I am. I myself have faced lots of problems due to my condition – even close friends and relatives sometimes forget I exist. And I know how lonely it is to be unwanted. These kids have no one of their own. If I could share in their joys and sorrows, my life is worthwhile,” she says. “I have already told my mother. When I die, don’t do all the religious rites for me, don’t cremate my body. I want to donate my body to medical science, to the doctors so that they can use my lifeless body to further the benefit of humankind,” she continues. Birla loves listening to songs, especially those of Sadananda and Roshibina, and watching films. “I have watched most of Sadananda’s films,” she says. Her favourite film is “Eidi Lakkhide” starring Sadananda and Manda. Thingnam Anjulika Samom wrote this article for The Sangai Express . You can contact the writer at thingnam(at)yahoo(dot)com . This article was webcasted on May 01st, 2007 |
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