Delhiwale: A woman whose name means gold

During a brief autorickshaw ride with Sona Devi, she tells us that lives in a rented room with her three daughters and works as a beggar at Vaishali Metro station.

Her first name means ‘gold’ in Hindi. One morning, we met Sona Devi in a shared autorickshaw, somewhere just outside the city limits, and fell into a conversation.

Home for Ms Devi is a rented room in Sahibabad Village, where she lives with her three daughters. (Mayank Austen Soofi / HT Photo)

“I’m on my way to work,” explained Ms Devi, a beggar headed for Vaishali Metro Station. There she’ll stand outside the entrance seeking money from commuters, “I usually spend my mornings there when it’s more crowded.”

Deep in thought, she stares through the rickshaw’s grimy glass window and continues, “When I’m finished at Vaishali I’ll go to Anand Vihar bus adda (Inter State Bus Terminus).” She will stay there for the rest of the day.

Home for Ms Devi is a rented room in Sahibabad Village, where she lives with her three daughters. She is trying to find a suitor for her eldest. The room is walking distance from several high-rises and many women from the area work as househelps in these apartments.

As we approach Vaishali Metro station, the woman’s face suddenly looks determined. She gives the driver Rs 7, disembarks and heads towards the crowd. Another workday has now commenced.