Against all odds ...

"they move on in the face of all odds, in strength and cheer. Muneshwari’s husband, Darkilaiyna, is a drunkard and the family rests on her frail shoulders. But she moves on carrying the burden lightly. Eashwaramma lives in poverty, her only son has been murdered by his wife, and with frail health she has to singly bring up his two children. She does it with more than complete commitment and affection. When someone tells her that these children will be her support in old age, she realistically assesses that the children may one day leave her and go away to her daughter-in-law, but that she has to do what her duty is. When Rediappa was going to Pakala, the auto took a toss and rolled down the bund. His hand was fractured, and the right thumb has no mobility even now. For a man depending on labouring for a living, it can be devastating. He is not devastated. Similarly Annasamy’s son Devarajulu took his thigh bone fracture in his stride, and when unable to do hard labour any more moved to a city to work as a security guard leaving his family behind in the village and visiting on weekends. Krishaiah’s son Devarajulu with his amputated leg, wears a plastic leg and cycles merrily. When Rediappa sunk a bore and did not strike water, it was a loss of forty thousand rupees. Savings vanished, and huge debts remained. When Shobakka’s pregnant cow died suddenly the loss was similar. Annaswamy had a similar loss when his cow lost footing and tumbled into the well and died. With this kind of loss, they see their entire savings and assets get lost. But they face it, grieve, then wipe their tears and start afresh.

There is no concept of self pity or of getting depressed ...