Sitting amongst the coloured yarn balls, neatly placed in square cabins behind her, Halima Akhtar, 47, attends her customers while her fingers continuously mingle with different colours around a knitting hook in zigzag direction.
A resident of Kandipora area in Bijbehara, Akhtar is known for designing intricate designs in woollen clothing. She is the source of income for her own family and has inspired at least nine other women to be the support of their family.
Crocheting the colourful designs was never her choice. It happened by chance. In her childhood, Akhtar wished to be a law officer but her destiny had other plans for her. When she was just nine, her mother passed away and the responsibility of her family came to her shoulders as she was the eldest of the three siblings. Hardly able to stick with the routine schooling schedule, she finally decided to drop out in tenth class.
As she narrates her struggle to survive her business her fingers continue weaving and eyes gleam with joy and accomplishment.
Married on May 21, 1991, Akhtar’s another desire that her husband, Sikandar will take care of her family was shattered. “My father decided that I should get married and Sikandar was supposed to live with us at my father’s house. But he was unemployed. He never supported me economically so my life changed forever,” Akhtar said.
After spending many years in poverty Akhtar used to encourage her husband to work and earn. He always had an alibi: ‘I do not have any money to start a business’.
Tired of a long wait, one day Akhtar shared her problems with her friend who helped her financially.
“She generously gave me a credit of Rs 50,000 on the promise that I will share with her a profit of Rs 5000 a year.” This aggravated her condition as she did not get enough support from Sikander. The money was lost.
Esta historia es de la edición Issue 41 Vol 11; BUKHARI BEGINS? January 12-18, 2020 de Kashmir Life.
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Esta historia es de la edición Issue 41 Vol 11; BUKHARI BEGINS? January 12-18, 2020 de Kashmir Life.
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