March 8 is marked as the International Women’s Day. The Himalayan Times takes this opportunity to salute all women — those who’ve earned a name for themselves both nationally and internationally, and those who’ve remained yet unknown but have strived to make life better for those around them. We take this day to thank all our mums, mums-in-law, grannies, aunts, wives, sisters, nieces, girlfriends... for being everything that they are, but most of all for being themselves

Kathmandu:

If one happens to be on the narrow lane at Kapurdhara Marg, leading from Samakhusi to Gongabu, one will undoubtedly see a dimunitive woman directing traffic. Who is this person — a madwoman trying to act as traffic police?

But after watching for a while one will notice passerbys greeting her or telling her about a problem in the locality; drivers and pedestrians listen to her and even follow her directions.

So who is she? She is not in uniform so she can’t be a trafficwoman.

But she is one.

This lady in salwar-kameez and a whistle squeezed between her lips is Radha Puri, who has devoted her time, energy and money to make her locality a better place.

After the police post in her neighbourhood was bombed two years ago, there was no one to manage the area’s everyday problems. Seeing this Puri thought of managing the traffic for a few days until everything settled down. Her fews days have stretched into two years of ensuring smooth traffic flow, helping kids cross roads and a general feeling of wellbeing for all.

But her journey has not been all that easy. “In the beginning, drivers used to call me a madwoman who had nothing to do and was here to block the way. And I also didn’t know how to manage traffic. I learnt everything on the job.”

Today Puri has not only won the hearts of the locals but “the abusive drivers came to me apologising for their earlier behaviour”.

She had wanted to become a docto, but due to her father’s death, she had to stop her education at Class X and was married off young. But her family, husband who is a retired policeman and three grown-up children, she says are behind her all the way.

Inpsiration? Her Anand sir for awakening in her the need to serve the ne-edy, and her Scout’s training in school.

She also looks after the solid waste management of the area. Puri recalls a time when people used to throw garbage near the public tap at Kapurdhara and no one could stop them. Then she took matters into her hands. “First I carried away more than 20 trucks of garbage on my own expenses and went door-to-door requesting residents not to throw waste there. It took me four months to bring people on the track.”

Now the residents give her some money to manage wa-ste. The 15,000-rupees she gets every month is just enough to pay the tractor and five boys she has employed to collect garbage. Puri also takes care of streetlights, temple renovation, drinking water and black topping of roads.

Her wish is to meet the King. Not because she wants to brief him about what she has done and ask for a reward, but to propose a proper management of public land. Upset by the inhuman manner in which landowners treat tenants — mostly students and teachers — her idea is to build block style economic houses on the public land and rent these out at minimal rent to students who she considers are the future stars of society.

Puri was at one time a typist at the Department of Roads, a teacher in a school, and had her own grocery store. “I sold the store to give over full time to social service.”

Puri is not rich nor is she someone influential nor does she have a uniform to back her duty. Yet she has done more than enough to improve the way of life in her locality. And perhaps this is all that the country needs — constructiv action, not just mere words.