The cow and her chikunguniya

Eashwaramma contracted chikunguniya and her body is racked with the chikun guniya post fever pains. She  contracted the fever after overworking herself by carrying heavy headloads of groundnut leaf for her cow through a whole day from morning to evening. Krishnaiyya  offered it to her in exchange for cowdung, and she did not want to let the chance go. As she explained to me that other people would have asked for money upfront, and where could she get it.

When I had had the chikunguniya fever, with all my good health, the pains left me debilitated for weeks ... I shuddered to think of her condition.

I asked her why she needed a cow at all and said that we would manage the basic expense for her and her grandchildren. She explained to me that only if she had a cow, then in times of need she could ask money lenders for a loan ... as they would consider her loanworthy  as she would be able to sell milk. I had no answer to give.

With her body pains she is unable to do any work and Kavya, her grandchild, is getting fodder for the cow, cooking, cleaning, preparing the decoctions for the grandmother - and then leaving for school ... and coming back and taking the cow grazing ...

There is only this very little we can do for another ... but that we have to do. Beyond that we share in their pain, thats all.