Our egg-seller who taught biz lessons

Every now and then especially around International Women’s Day and other such calendar events there is some institution that celebrates outstanding women entrepreneurs.

Every now and then especially around International Women’s Day and other such calendar events there is some institution that celebrates outstanding women entrepreneurs. We certainly need such shots of adrenaline and more frequently too. My earliest memory of a woman entrepreneur is that of Pattamma, the egg-seller who used to come to our bungalow in Egmore village in Madras. It was one of the few houses on that lonely stretch of a road and to think that a woman ventured out bravely with a basket of eggs in that neighbourhood is inspirational at this point of time.

Pattamma was always dressed in a saree and more often than not a bright, checked one at that. She wore a huge dot on her forehead with vermillion and exhibited enormous patience with my paternal grandmother who was a clever customer. My grandmother couldn’t sit on the floor but seated on her chair with a bowl of water in front, she would dunk the eggs one by one in the water to test for their freshness and quality. Once the selection was over and the eggs were transferred to our container, the payment would be made. Pattamma would pull out the cloth string bag  that was tucked into the waist of her saree and take out carefully folded notes that were moist with sweat or coins as the case would be.

A few pleasantries would be exchanged and she would take leave. She would come by once a week. There was no way of contacting her either so if she didn’t show up one week we wouldn’t know what was up. I don’t know exactly when and why she stopped coming and we began getting our eggs from the Travancore Egg Mart and other outlets.

Recently when my daughter and family went to Mumbai to visit her mother-in-law, they met up with Nanubai. Nanubai is the fish-seller who has been coming to their home for over 30 years and she knows the kids of the household from when they were little. She brought fish in a basket and once her customers picked the ones of their choice she would spread out sheets of newspaper, clean and slice the fish with ease. Nanubai had children rather late and she was very indulgent towards interested NRI kids who were amused by the sight of fish in a basket.

Sudha UmashankerNanubai, in contrast to Pattamma, had lived to see different times and so she now owned a cell phone and one could reach her mid-week to place orders. These were and are the women entrepreneurs who pioneered door-delivery, worked on small margins and gave customer relations a new meaning. Priceless are the memories they leave behind and the bonds they forge.

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