A Brahmin lady managing crematorium gets Kalpana Chawla award

[vgane]

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We have debated about this fearless lady earlier...That she has won the Kalpana Chawla award for courage and daring enterprise is news...Amazing lady with so much of grit & determination! Let us compliment her for her individual achievement!

The sad part is no one in the community supported her to take up any other job ...She could have joined as a teacher..

The award is a slap on the TB community!

A funeral manager who laid orthodoxy to rest

• Dennis S Jesudasan

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa presents the Kalpana Chawla Award to Jayanthi during Independence Day celebrations in Chennai.
40-year-old Jayanthi took the job of burning bodies at Namakkal electric crematorium


Her workplace is one that women do not normally even visit: a crematorium.
But Jayanthi, of Senthamangalam in Namakkal district, is comfortable managing the town’s crematorium, ignoring invisible barriers of orthodoxy.
The 40-year old has been working as an operator in the electric crematorium since 2013, burning corpses in the face of resistance from some sections.
On Monday, Ms. Jayanthi received the Kalpana Chawla Award for Courage and Daring Enterprise from Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, at the Independence Day celebrations. It was a particularly poignant moment because her mother, who was overjoyed to hear about the award to be conferred on her, died last week. Her father’s death in 2003 brought the first realisation that she had to depend on others for rituals.
Only for men“We were all sisters, and we had to plead with our male cousins to help us observe certain rituals after my father’s death. I then realised the need to be independent,” she says.
She was working in an orphanage when she found an opening in the crematorium in Namakkal to maintain the campus.
“I thought, why shouldn’t I take that up? It’s the work that matters. I didn’t mind people talking behind my back. I’m happy people now look up to me as an inspiration.”
The mother of twin daughters is happy that her husband is with her on the decision.
“I’m a Brahmin and married a Gounder. Our wedding faced so much criticism. But my father supported me. Initially, my husband didn’t like the idea, but he too came around,” she says.
“I’m happy that my mother was able to hear the good news about this award before she left us,” she says emotionally.
The award includes a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh, a gold medal and a certificate. Asked about her role model, she says it is Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. “I have seen how much she has achieved in politics despite adversity,” she says.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...who-laid-orthodoxy-to-rest/article8991575.ece

 

[navy-eswaran]

hi,hats off to Smt.Jayanthi for breaking the barriers. But the chest beaters will now resort to all sorts off vile comments quoting scriptures(most of them can't read Sanskrit) or quote some saint ( thereby discrediting his real teachings).
But well done lady.
regards
navy-eswaran

 

[GANESH65]

In Erode also I found a crematorium totally managed by ladies. Another male bastion is broken. Nothing less than revolution. good work.

 

[tbs]

hi

its hard job......brave lady.....ppl are same....but some do differently.......

 

[Vaagmi]

This brings to my memory another real life story:

This is the story of my paternal grandmother's elder sister. Her name was Lakshmi.

She was married at a young age as was the custom those days. Her husband was a civil Engineer. When he was working in a northern village on the banks of Godavari River supervising the construction of a dam, he died a gory death one day. He fell from a height and died instantaneously. This young lady who was just 18 or 19 years old then did not know what to do. She gathered herself, and tried to get people to cremate the body. Letters used to take a week to reach destination those days. The locals did not understand what she was telling as she knew only Tamil. Finally she understood that they were demanding money for the services to be rendered. She did not have cash. The ornaments she had were not enough to satisfy the demand. So took a firm decision. She asked everyone to get out. She went to the backyard of the house in which she was staying gathered a few logs of wood by cutting them from the tree standing there. Built a funeral pyre in the front courtyard of the house. Brought the body and kept it on the pyre and lit the fire herself. When police came on receiving complaint, the body was already half burnt. when the Englishman who was the pollice officer heard the story he got her a train ticket and sent her home.

This is the kind of material with which TB women are made. They may look soft but are made of steel. I bow to these women.

When I went to Gaya last time, I did the Gaya sraadhdham for her as she did not have children.

 

[vgane]

Jayanthi has a Masters in Economics...She is accompanied by a SC woman for the crematorium works...Will the OBC be willing to do this job now (Reddiars, Chettiyars, Pillais besides Gounders & Vanniars)? I GUESS NO....All talk of revolution is only for the Brahmin...None of the other communities will allow their women to do this job!!

 

[GANESH65]

It seems you failed to note post no. 3 above. There were five ladies (Of course I don't know their cast) who are managing the crematorium and they are doing a good job. attending the relatives with care and concern they deserve at such a place. Possibly they may be trained in this regard by the agency which is managing the place. For me it was shock and disbelief on the first instance seeing ladies taking care of the dead. It was a CNG run crematorium and as such the physical labour was much less though.

 

[vgane]

It seems you failed to note post no. 3 above. There were five ladies (Of course I don't know their cast) who are managing the crematorium and they are doing a good job. attending the relatives with care and concern they deserve at such a place. Possibly they may be trained in this regard by the agency which is managing the place. For me it was shock and disbelief on the first instance seeing ladies taking care of the dead. It was a CNG run crematorium and as such the physical labour was much less though.

I am curious to know if any of the OBC's are managing the crematorium at Erode..I will change my opinion thereafter!

 

[KPR]

Hearty Congratulations to the determined lady. One media article says that while handing over award our CM enquired Ms.Jeyanthi whether she is TM for which she said yes. CM replied "I'm really proud to hand over this award to you!" If the information is correct then What a proud moment!

 

[GANESH65]

I am curious to know if any of the OBC's are managing the crematorium at Erode..I will change my opinion thereafter!

I suppose I can't be of any help on this account. I am sorry.

 

[athimber]

Courageous. Whatever may be the circumstances, her boldness should be appreciated.

 

[vgane]

Courageous. Whatever may be the circumstances, her boldness should be appreciated.

There is no doubt about the exemplary courage exhibited by Smt Jayanthi...I am questioning the morality of her husband...Had he married a fellow Gounder would he have allowed her to do this treacherous job! In a way it is a lesson to TB women who go IC & IR way...There is no guarantee for their modesty and livelihood!!

 

[prasad1]

Vganeji,

Why are you feeling sorry for the lady, instead of praising. I do not think she is sorry for her choice. Any work done with dedication is praiseworthy.

 

[tbs]

hi

circumstances make a lot of reality in life....survival is fittest....she married a non brahmin....she took the bold step to marry

IC MARRIAGE....now she took another BOLD STEP TO SURVIVE.....i think ..she is managing the creamatorium....she has

management qualities too....NO JOB IS BIG OR SMALL....but still TBs a lot of taboos...live and let live others too...

 

[renuka]

This brings to my memory another real life story:

This is the story of my paternal grandmother's elder sister. Her name was Lakshmi.

She was married at a young age as was the custom those days. Her husband was a civil Engineer. When he was working in a northern village on the banks of Godavari River supervising the construction of a dam, he died a gory death one day. He fell from a height and died instantaneously. This young lady who was just 18 or 19 years old then did not know what to do. She gathered herself, and tried to get people to cremate the body. Letters used to take a week to reach destination those days. The locals did not understand what she was telling as she knew only Tamil. Finally she understood that they were demanding money for the services to be rendered. She did not have cash. The ornaments she had were not enough to satisfy the demand. So took a firm decision. She asked everyone to get out. She went to the backyard of the house in which she was staying gathered a few logs of wood by cutting them from the tree standing there. Built a funeral pyre in the front courtyard of the house. Brought the body and kept it on the pyre and lit the fire herself. When police came on receiving complaint, the body was already half burnt. when the Englishman who was the pollice officer heard the story he got her a train ticket and sent her home.

This is the kind of material with which TB women are made. They may look soft but are made of steel. I bow to these women.

When I went to Gaya last time, I did the Gaya sraadhdham for her as she did not have children.

Dear Vaagmi ji,

I salute your grand aunt.

Great Lady.

 

[renuka]

There is no doubt about the exemplary courage exhibited by Smt Jayanthi...I am questioning the morality of her husband...Had he married a fellow Gounder would he have allowed her to do this treacherous job! In a way it is a lesson to TB women who go IC & IR way...There is no guarantee for their modesty and livelihood!!

Dear Vgane ji,

Its not a treacherous job..any job done well is next to Godliness. Its Halal.

I feel this lady was badly affected when her father died and she had to plead to her male cousins for final rites and rituals.

This must have made her feel so helpless that the Hindu society has no place for women in case of death of parents or anyone for the matter.

She really wanted to have the last say in death...by taking up this job its a slap on the face for the male oriented Indian society that dictates limited roles for a female.

She is fearless and has made it clear that no one can keep her out from handling death.

You should be proud that such a woman belongs to your community.

In fact if you ask me would her Gounder husband would have allowed a Gounder wife to do this job...may be the answer is NO......becos the Gounder woman might not really have the guts and strength like this TB lady has.

Don't feel bad for her...even King Harischandra worked in cremation grounds.

Great people simply do a job as a job..they do not look down upon any job.

 

[renuka]

Dear Vgane Ji,

In existence there is a welcome and a send off.

When a doctor conducts delivery and welcomes child birth...it is not considered a treacherous job ...so why the job of a crematorium personnel who is giving the final send off considered treacherous?

 

[vgane]

Vganeji,

Why are you feeling sorry for the lady, instead of praising. I do not think she is sorry for her choice. Any work done with dedication is praiseworthy.

Prasadji,

In my first post itself I had praised the lady for her courage, grit & determination! I was just looking at this issue from a societal angle!!

 

[vgane]

Dear Vgane ji,

Its not a treacherous job..any job done well is next to Godliness. Its Halal.

I feel this lady was badly affected when her father died and she had to plead to her male cousins for final rites and rituals.

This must have made her feel so helpless that the Hindu society has no place for women in case of death of parents or anyone for the matter.

She really wanted to have the last say in death...by taking up this job its a slap on the face for the male oriented Indian society that dictates limited roles for a female.

She is fearless and has made it clear that no one can keep her out from handling death.

You should be proud that such a woman belongs to your community.

In fact if you ask me would her Gounder husband would have allowed a Gounder wife to do this job...may be the answer is NO......becos the Gounder woman might not really have the guts and strength like this TB lady has.

Don't feel bad for her...even King Harischandra worked in cremation grounds.

Great people simply do a job as a job..they do not look down upon any job.

Renukaji,

We are left with little bit humanity...I am all for praise of the lady...But somehow I felt a bit of remorse for that lady whose father was holding Dharbai is now forced to handle dead bodies on account of circumstances!

 

[renuka]

Renukaji,

We are left with little bit humanity...I am all for praise of the lady...But somehow I felt a bit of remorse for that lady whose father was holding Dharbai is now forced to handle dead bodies on account of circumstances!

Dear Sir,

Do not feel bad...I feel God has something else in store for this great lady...Darbha or Dead body...both are perishable.

 

[CHANDRU1849]

Jayanthi has a Masters in Economics...She is accompanied by a SC woman for the crematorium works...Will the OBC be willing to do this job now (Reddiars, Chettiyars, Pillais besides Gounders & Vanniars)? I GUESS NO....All talk of revolution is only for the Brahmin...None of the other communities will allow their women to do this job!!

SEIYYUM THOZHILE DEIVAM ATHIL THIRAMAITHAN NAMADHU SELVEM!
MAKKAL SEVEYE MAHESAN SEVEY!


When does she start doing this job - before or after marriage? If it is before marriage, it is a bold decision. She married a Gounder and as per Hindu custom, the wife has to follow husband's caste and IN this case, she becomes a Gounder. She cannot be a B any more. If she takes up the assignment after marriage, the credit goes to Gounder caste and not B.

 

[vgane]

SEIYYUM THOZHILE DEIVAM ATHIL THIRAMAITHAN NAMADHU SELVEM!
MAKKAL SEVEYE MAHESAN SEVEY!


When does she start doing this job - before or after marriage? If it is before marriage, it is a bold decision. She married a Gounder and as per Hindu custom, the wife has to follow husband's caste and IN this case, she becomes a Gounder. She cannot be a B any more. If she takes up the assignment after marriage, the credit goes to Gounder caste and not B.

She took up the job after marriage...Gounders do not work in the crematorium..Go & find a single Gounder doing this job!! In this case both B & G abandoned her...But she took Mahakavi Bharathi's words seriously & doing justice to her work!

 

[GANESH65]

again read the article from the Hindu clipping these two lines caught my attention.

The mother of twin daughters is happy that her husband is with her on the decision.
“I’m a Brahmin and married a Gounder. Our wedding faced so much criticism. But my father supported me. Initially, my husband didn’t like the idea, but he too came around,” she says.

I think it is clear from the above that it was her own decision to go with this job and Husband supported her later. That way if we say husband forced her to go this way may not be correct. Since both of them are happy with their decision, let us all appreciative the couple for taking such bold step.

 

[renuka]

again read the article from the Hindu clipping these two lines caught my attention.

The mother of twin daughters is happy that her husband is with her on the decision.
“I’m a Brahmin and married a Gounder. Our wedding faced so much criticism. But my father supported me. Initially, my husband didn’t like the idea, but he too came around,” she says.

I think it is clear from the above that it was her own decision to go with this job and Husband supported her later. That way if we say husband forced her to go this way may not be correct. Since both of them are happy with their decision, let us all appreciative the couple for taking such bold step.

True...That way its not as if she went against the wishes of her dad for an IC marriage.

Her father was supportive of her IC marriage.

 

[CHANDRU1849]

She took up the job after marriage...Gounders do not work in the crematorium..Go & find a single Gounder doing this job!! In this case both B & G abandoned her...But she took Mahakavi Bharathi's words seriously & doing justice to her work!

The moment she is in for IC marriage, she would have ignored all customs of B community. Does she still practise B customs, wear madisar and perform regular poojas, despite marrying an NB and working in a crematorium?The moment she marries an NB she seizes to be a B. There is no need to question the role of other cases in this profession.

To be precise, a B before marriage works in a crematorium after marrying an NB.