Salute Sunitabai.

- Left World-Anuradha Derasari

- The society that has given us food and shelter is our debt to the society and I will pay the debt for the free funeral of the deceased. - Sunita Patil - Female crematorium employee

Normally, women are afraid to go to the cemetery, even in our religion women are forbidden to perform cremation etc. So if we focus on her bright side today, we are talking about a middle-aged woman who has been performing this service for the last decade as a funeral worker.

Sunita Patil is the name of this brave woman who works alone in the 'Panchavati Akshardham' crematorium near Nashik. She has become 'Sunitatai' in the whole area. The Maharashtra government has given 'Dirkani' award for his work.

Sunita says in an interview about her work: I do not do this work under any compulsion. I do it for my own pleasure and self-satisfaction. Normally living people often make us miserable, whereas in dead people the same question does not arise. If you do the funeral of a dead person well, his soul will be at peace and you will be blessed. Just this blessing is the capital of my work and happiness is that self-satisfaction.

Sunita's childhood was spent in the cemetery. Her father was a woodcutter in the cemetery. Little Sunita saw this work and often helped her father. She studied till 8th standard and then started helping in this work. She did not understand when she was emotionally attached to him while doing this work and she decided to do this work and her whole family supported her in this work.

Working in a cemetery is a religious, socially male field. It is a difficult task for women to be exposed, it requires courage and determination. Sunita showed this courage and resilience. People initially protested against her performance. Many people do not allow the corpse to be touched or refuse to take part in any action because Sunita is a woman and Indian religion does not allow a woman to work in this custom. But Sunita argued against the protest and continued working. Today he works as a stand-alone employee. Her husband and sons help out if they have more work to do.

Sunita Patil does all the work from cremation to cremation. In the beginning, when the corpse arrives, he removes the garland, then if necessary, he massages the ghee, then after arranging the wood, he also does the work of lifting the corpse. Then the person closes the eyes with the tongue and puts it inside, then the verses are recited and the funeral is done and finally the bones are collected and given to the family members.

The saddest thing is that Sunitatai does not charge for this operation. This is his selfless service to society. This is why Sunita says: We are indebted to the society on which we were born, the society which has given us food and shelter, I am doing this selfless service to avenge this debt.

The most admirable thing about Sunita Patil's performance is that she keeps on laughing despite doing such hard and unimaginable work.

Sunita is specially asked about her experiences in the interview as it is very difficult to work in such an unusual field as a woman. Sunita says for this: I am never scared to go to any corpse, on the contrary, I am scared to go to a living man! I am not afraid of anyone. I do all the work like a normal job. I do it the way other women work in any field.

Fear has no effect on my feelings other than a normal funeral. If a corpse dies of a bad pain and smells bad, his family is not ready to touch him. When I wear a mask at that time, I clean it without any disgust and do the funeral.

Sunita goes to the crying family and comforts them. At the same time, she feels as if she is comforting her family. Sunita is not usually hurt by any action, but when a young person dies and Sunita knows the details, she gets very upset.

Sunitatai has cremated about 80 to 1000 corpses in the last year,

He is also at all disgusted, smiling without hesitation. Sunita starts her work early in the morning and continues till late evening. Often the night falls even if the work is over.

Sunita and her family live in a small room at the edge of the cemetery. Having made cooking preparations, she manages to get time quickly, but her husband helps her with many housework. Sunitatai's sons are studying in a good school, giving them higher education is the goal of their life.

For financial gain, Sunitatai runs a small shop in front of the crematorium where he keeps the items on which he earns a living.

There is a lot of economic hardship but Tai does not give up the work of selfless service.

Sunitatai tells Indian women through her life:

To live with liveliness,

To die is masculinity

That is the real life,

Spend playfully.