which they climb for green leaves). They also have to constantly face the wrath of the forest officials. One can commonly see frail women with headloads thrice their size walking on the longwinding road proceeding towards their houses. They are also responsible for cultivating their meagre land holdings to grow wheat, soyabean, mustard etc. In the evenings, she milks her cows and buffaloes before preparing dinner. After the family has had dinner (obviously, she is the last one to sit for dinner and gets leftovers), she washes utensils. Meanwhile as her chulha is free, she preapres `pinda' for the animals (by boiling green leaves). During all her evening activities, she gets her children to sit near by and study. Their education is a priority. It is over ten in the night. The lady who has been working through out the day goes to bed only recoup enough energy to toil the next day. The men in Garhwal too go to bed after a `tiring' All the work they do during day is to sit, play cards and carrom and discuss politics - domestic as also international. The evenings are spent in drinking and more often than not, followed by wife bashing. The only actual work they ever do is ply the plough in their small farms, labouring for hardly a few days in the entire year. The women in Garhwal do not have a minute to spare. Women, working through the day and ight, shouldering all responsibilities, tired yet smiling and working, keep wishing tomorrow would be another day....
