At 83, Ludhiana woman earns her living stitching clothes for Krishna, Hanuman idols

As the evening rush picks up on Chandigarh Road, an 83-year-old woman quietly sits beside a small table near Sohan Karyana Store, her hands carefully stitching colourful dresses for idols of Lord Krishna, lord Hanuman and Khatu Shyam. Every piece she makes is not just an article of devotion, but also her only source of income.

Darshan Kaur, a resident of Ludhiana, spends nearly three hours every evening, from 5 pm to 8 pm, selling handmade deity clothes, locally known as poshak. Despite her age and health problems, she continues to work every day to support herself.

Until a few years ago, Darshan Kaur was employed, but severe cervical pain forced her to quit her job. Rather than depending on others, she decided to use her stitching skills to earn a living with dignity.

Once every week, she visits Gurd Mandi to buy cloth, lace, decorative borders and other materials needed to prepare the colourful dresses. She then spends hours at home stitching each piece by hand before bringing them to her roadside stall in the hope of finding buyers.

“I do not want anyone’s sympathy. I only want people to buy my work if they like it. This is how I earn my livelihood,” she said with a smile.

She prepares dresses in different sizes for idols of different deities. Depending on the design and size, the dresses are sold for around Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 a month in total, an amount that is barely enough to meet her daily expenses.

Regular visitors to the area said they admire her determination. Many stop at her stall not only to purchase the handmade dresses but also to encourage her. “At this age, she is still working with dedication instead of depending on others. Her hard work deserves appreciation,” said a customer.

Darshan Kaur says her family has been facing financial hardships for several years. Although she has two sons, the family’s income is not sufficient to meet all household expenses. One son earns a modest living by driving an auto-rickshaw, while the other struggles to find regular work. Instead of depending entirely on them, the octogenarian continues to stitch deity dresses every day to support herself and reduce the financial burden on the family.

For Darshan Kaur, every dress carries both faith and hope. While age and illness have slowed her pace, they have not weakened her resolve. Sitting quietly by the roadside each evening, she continues to stitch together a life of self-respect, proving that dignity comes not from age or wealth, but from the willingness to keep working despite life’s hardships.