Gurugram resident, Urvashi Yadav, has been a very busy woman for the past 15 days. Her small thela under a peepal tree has become somewhat of a popular joint for residents and passersby.
Most of them come by for freshly prepared kulcha chola that taste home-cooked. But it wasn't a vocation that led this former nursery teacher to start the thela, it was an unfortunate accident!
Why did she start the thela?
About a month ago, Yadav was just a regular mum, who loved taking care of her family and kids. But her world turned upside down when her husband, the sole breadwinner of the family met with an accident in May.
Although the tests indicated that nothing was critical, he needed an immediate hip surgery. With two kids in private schools and the house's sole earning member in the hospital, this brave mum decided to take matters in her own hands.
Obviously, her meagre income from teaching kids at school was not going to pay for all the bills, so scared of the consequences, she started a small thela.
Urvashi told Vagabomb, "We weren't facing any immediate financial crisis, but the thought of it scared me. I never wanted to be in a position where I would have to change my children's school just because we couldn't afford their education. I had an idea but I didn't want to ask my family for money, because if it hadn't worked, I would have been in even more trouble, financially."
She added, "My husband's accident really shook me up. I tried to imagine our family without his income and the future looked grim. That's when I decided to take matters into my own hands. I am good at cooking and I decided to use that skill to my advantage. The more acceptable option, according to our family and the society, would have been to open a restaurant or a catering business. But I didn't have the funds for that. I was thinking about all of this one day when I was in the market to buy medicines for my husband, and I saw a roadside thela."
Continue reading to see what this mum did next, we bet it will inspire you too!
Soon after, she spoke to the thela owner about the possibility of buying the push-around shop. She calculated the overhead cost and instantly knew she could put in her salary and buy one for herself.
And while her husband supported her decision, her family members including her father-in-law were not happy with her decision. However, it wasn't a choice she could made callously.
She decided to go ahead with it anyway and readied it so she could lug it out around her society buildings.
The beginning was tough
"I was obviously very embarrassed about everything. Day one was the toughest and I was very uncomfortable. I covered my face, broke down, but eventually I pulled myself together. I hate to admit it but I was the kind of person who couldn't live without an AC and I hated the sun in my face. Yet, there I was, standing on the side of the road on a hot summer day, getting chola kulchas ready for customers," she told Vagabomb.
But her sales improved dramatically when a Facebook user Sunali Anand Gaur shared Urvashi's story on her page and the post became viral. People started descending to taste her 'home-cooked meals.'
This post not only helped her with the business but also made her family proud.
She told Vagabomb, "My father-in-law is proud of me now and doesn't let anyone in the family say anything to me. More than anyone else, I'm proud of myself because I never thought I could do this. In times of stress, you realise all that you're capable of and that's what has happened to me."
Yadav is now saving up to buy a food truck, that will not only ensure a safe future for her growing kids, but also give her an opportunity to fulfill her dreams.
The article first appeared in Vagabomb.
Read: From a life of domestic abuse to that of an entrepreneur, this mother's journey is truly inspirational
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