Last Updated: December 13, 2023, 14:22 IST
The woman hails from Konur village located in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram.
She manages not only her daily needs but also takes care of her medical expenses with the income from her vegetable business.
In a heartening tale of resilience and self-reliance, 60-year-old Parkavanam from Konur village in Tamil Nadu has been selling vegetables for the past 15 years. Despite having four sons, settled and married, Parkavanam chooses not to depend on them. Instead, she engages in the daily business of selling vegetables to earn her living.
Parkavanam’s vegetable shop, located near the Villupuram Gandhi statue in Konur village, offers a variety of produce, including spinach, sprouts, banana stems, gourds, lemons, agathi leaves, and tamarind. Her dedication to sustaining herself independently is an inspiration to many.
Notably, she manages not only her daily needs but also takes care of her medical expenses with the income from her vegetable business.
This story echoes a similar tale of perseverance and hard work from earlier this year. Lakshmibala Devi, a 102-year-old woman from Kolaghat in West Bengal, made headlines for her commitment to working and earning a living. Born in 1920 in the Bagdiha village of Kolaghat, Lakshmibala faced poverty and societal challenges after getting married at the age of 13. Undeterred, she decided to support her husband financially and started working at a young age.
Lakshmibala, the mother of five daughters and a son, continued working even after her husband’s passing when her son was just 7 years old. Her son, Gaur, now runs a tea shop in Kolaghat market and supports her in transporting vegetables to the market on his bicycle every week. Despite her declining health, Lakshmibala remains resilient, buying vegetables and grains from local farmers and selling them in the market until noon.
Both Parkavanam and Lakshmibala exemplify the strength and determination of women who choose to work and sustain themselves independently, defying societal expectations and age-related challenges. Their stories resonate as powerful examples of self-reliance and the enduring spirit that knows no age or limitations.
In a world where such stories often go viral on social media, these narratives serve as reminders of the indomitable human spirit and the ability to find purpose and fulfilment through hard work and perseverance.
