Woman rows people across Jalangi River in West Bengal for 25 years

For 25 years, Budhia Choudhury has rowed her boat across the Jalangi River in West Bengal, ferrying students, farmers, and mothers - charging just ₹5 a ride. At the age of 58, she continues her daily grind despite physical pain, river pollution, and economic hardship.

Her story, now going viral, is one of strength and survival. A woman of grit, she keeps the boats running in the face of personal losses, rising costs, and a river that's slowly choking.

'Left alone to row'

Budhia began ferrying passengers in 2000 when her husband fell seriously ill with kidney disease. Once part of a prosperous boatman’s family, she was forced to take charge after adversity struck.

"My father-in-law had 18 boats," she recalled, "but after illness hit the family, I was left alone to row."

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Despite a crumbling financial state, she embraced her role.

"Some people don’t have money. They pay me with vegetables or grains, and I accept it," she says.

Toll on her health

Rowing isn't easy. The polluted Jalangi River has taken a toll on her health and her hands bear the scars. Her journey is aided by a rope stretched between two trees - a guide through dangerous currents.

"I have to pull the rope from time to time... If it rains four times a day, I have a hard time," Budhia shares. "I have to keep both my hands high to avoid the water."

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Maintenance is another challenge.

"I get the rope from the market. It costs ₹150 per kilo. I do all the repair work myself," she adds.

Rebuilding and resolve

Despite it all, Budhia rebuilt her largest boat, a testament to her hope - for herself, and for her son.

“I broke that old wood. I bought three clinch nails for ₹160. Two hundred fifty kilograms of clinch nails were used in rebuilding the boat,” she recounts.

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She now owns three boats - used separately for passengers, goods, and local fishermen. Sometimes, when she earns a little extra, she pays helpers ₹200 from the saved amount.

"My son has gone to Visakhapatnam. My brother sometimes helps too," she says, quietly proud.

River in danger

Jalangi River, her lifeline, is heavily polluted. Dr Jatan Roy Chowdhury of the NGO "Save Jalangi" is sounding the alarm.

"There is no alternate water body for jute retting. The river is turning stagnant and toxic," he warns. "I urge the administration and the people - restore Jalangi and other rivers of Nadia district."

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Even as bamboo bridges and kilns block its flow, Budhia rows on - day and night - for her people, and for the Jalangi.

"Still, I row. I don’t know where to go, but I keep going," adds Budhia Choudhury, hoping that the river will be revived one day.

(The content above has been generated using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.)