Orissa Review August- 2011

3s Behind Our Role Model Maa Ramadevi

Anasuya Swain

“The path of duty is the way to glory.” This Sacrifice famous line of Tennyson says that man’s life on Ramadevi was born on 3rd December earth does not consist of his or her own existence, 1899 at Satyabhamapur of district. She just as, he/she being a social being enjoys certain spent her childhood with her father Gopalballav rights. She also owes certain duties in return. Das, mother Basantkumari and parental uncle These duties are towards his family, his/her . Unconsciously she developed country, his /her creatures and not last, to god national consciousness in her mind due to the and the duty to mankind is duty environmental impact. She was to god. well aware of the national One way to do his / her happenings and developed a duty towards the society can be nationalist outlook. done through the following 3s She married to principle. These 3s are – Gopabandhu Choudhry at the · Sacrifice age of 15 and blessed with a · Service and son and a daughter. She tried to maintain balance between · Social responsibilities conservative and superstitious If we take illustration mentality of her mother–in–law from the history about the and the attitude of broadness glorious persons who achieved and liberalization which she had glory due to their own duty, an inherited from parental family. unremovable name comes, she Her family members were is nobody else, but Maa Rama completely devoted to the Devi. cause of women development. Ramadevi Choudhury is called Maa A decisive turn came to her when her Ramadevi due to her own dedicated life towards husband left the Government job. She gave the society, sacrifice of luxurious life and service moral support to her husband in his decision to towards the sick and untouchables. If we go resign from the service of irrational British rule. through her life, we can find her life full of service This created economic insecurity and Remadevi and social responsibilities. gave accompany to her husband. Since she was

68 August - 2011 Orissa Review born and brought up with all affluence, she had They were taught improved method of the strength of mind to maintain her family at the agriculture. She also devised the method of time of economic hardship. Gandhian philosophy assisting the flood, cyclone or drought affected influenced her. Her husband was also encouraged people in terms of food rather than money. Food with it and supported her to go to the public field. for work, construction of canals or tanks and conversion of fallow land to cultivable land and Service: supply of suitable seeds to the farmers constituted She served for the poor, untouchables and the scheme of her assistance. drought affected people of Orissa. Her effort helped in the establishment of a cancer detection She gave a lot of importance to the basic centre at Cuttack. In 1932, secretary of the education so as to eradicate illiteracy from the provincial Harijana Sevak Sangh set out with her society which stood as major obstacle on the path team of women to handle their own sanitation of progress. problem and learn nursing.She encouraged the She started building up schools and did women to be ideal mothers, housemakers and not breakdown when she could not get any bread earners of the family. Ramadevi started financial support from outside. Padyatra on a mission to abolish the untouchability She always worked for the people by creating public awareness. This was a new without any self advertisement, but became the chapter in the Harijana movement and helped to burning example for everyone. She also gave promote Harijana welfare. emphasis to the sanitation problem. For this reason Being influenced by the speech of Gandhi, she and her Sevashram members undertook many "go to village" to find out the solution for the programmes like slum cleanliness etc. problem, Ramadevi and Gopabandhu returned She established Alaka Ashram and stayed to Bari and worked there with utmost there and spread the message of Gandhi to the commitment. villagers. She nursed the sick people, distributed She and her team members worked hard medicines. Thus, she was able to remove for the eradication of untouchability taking the superstitions from the minds of people. support of different people in the society Without formal education she got the particularly Harijans. doctoral degree from for her Whenever there was natural calamities, social work and social service. Ramadevi extended her helping hand to the Life is a challenge and she accepted it. people in distress. She may be called as Goddess She experimented 3p and 3d method, that is of compassion always ready to extend her peace, perseverance, patience with discipline, sympathetic hand with healing touch. dedication, devotion in her life. At last she was Social responsibility : able to achieve her objective which was reflected in 3s viz. service, sacrifice and social She was convinced that without responsibilities and build herself a role model for economic growth the social development can not be imagined, for that reason she started some the youngsters. programmes through which the people can earn more and can live happily. Among the different programmes spinning, palm gur making and bee Anasuya Swain Qr. No.C/23, A.G. Colony, Unit-4, keeping were taught to them. – 751001.

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