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Apr 26 2015 : The Times of India (Mumbai)Goa's heavyweightsSonia FilintoThe
Bhadels of Goa are women porters who work in the south Goan city of Margao. The
occupation has been handed down generations through women in the family -either
daughters or daughters-in-law.
Nobody from the younger generation has taken up the occupation. “Our daughters
are not interested in this work, they have studied a little, so want to work in
offices,“ says Maria Borges. There are currently only a dozen or so Bhadels
working in Margao market, all are over 50 years in age.Although it is believed
that Bhadels used to work in other Goan markets in the distant past, there are
limited records, restricted to mention in folk songs.
The women make the daily bus commute from villages neighbouring Margao city,
such as Borda and Fatorda. They reach the market at varying times, from 8 am to
10 am after completing their household chores, and return by 6.30 pm.
Store owners as well as shoppers use the services of the Bhadels to carry goods
and heavy loads. The introduction of the Konkan railway in the late 1990s
brought in migrant workers from neighboring states, affecting the women's
earnings. Sturdy young men were tough to compete with, leaving the women
without work.But some local merchants still swear by the trustworthiness of the
Bhadels. They leave their shops open in their care and do not hesitate to send
them to the bank to deposit large sums of money .
The Bhadels earn anything between Rs 50 and 200 a day. As per current rates,
carrying a medium sized shopping bag will fetch three rupees, hauling a steel
cupboard will bring in Rs 50 to be divided by the number of women involved and
carrying 50-kg goods will earn them Rs 20.
In 2011, as part of events to commemorate 50 years of liberation from
Portuguese rule, the Goan government recognized the services of those Bhadels
who worked in this occupation for over 25 years. They were given a onetime
honorarium of Rs 25,000.Although the women can apply for government pension
schemes for senior citizens, the Bhadels are proud workers who have so far
shied away from taking help.
Courtesy: People's Archive of Rural India
