91-Yr-Old Sweet Seller, Wife Serve As Example Of Self-Reliance In Odisha’s Gajapati

Berhampur: At the ripe age of 91 when most people are either bedridden or confined to their homes, Simadri Sahu presents a picture of self-reliance.

Simadri along with his 88-year-old wife, Krishnaveni Sahu, prepare and sell sweets in front of their house on Palace Street in Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district.

“Till we are healthy and fit to run the business, we will not be dependent on anybody,” said Simadri.

The couple have been selling sweets for the past five decades now. Earlier, they used to go around Paralakhemundi with a trolley. But now the elderly couple have set shop in front of their house.

Their morning starts with collecting ingredients for their sweets, Then they get down to preparing the delicacies on a firewood chullah.

Notwithstanding quite a healthy competition from local shops, the sweets prepared by Simadri and Krishnaveni are quite popular among the people of Paralakhemundi. Their business really picks up during Rath Yatra.

The old couple have two sons and two daughters and grandchildren who are very fond of them. One of their sons stays in Rayagada and often requests them to stay with him.

After repeated pleas, the couple conceded to stay with him for a few days in Rayagada. But they returned to Paralakhemundi and back to their business recently.

Their two daughters who also live on Palace Street request them to come and stay at their homes, but to no avail.

“Our forefathers ran this business and we will carry on till our health permits because we don’t want to be a burden on anybody,” Simadri signed off.