New Delhi: A 57-year-old Tamil Nadu woman disguised herself as a man for over 30 years. She has said that she did this in order to raise her daughter alone ‘in a patriarchal society’.
After she shared the truth, her incredible story has gone viral on social media.
The women has been identified as S Petchiammal, she was only 20-years-old when she had lost her husband due to heart attack. That too after 15 days after their wedding.
Petchiammal, hailed from Katunayakkanpatti village, which had a dominant patriarchal society.
She had given birth to a baby girl, and started working to make ends meet. But in the patriarchal society of Kattunayakanpatti, it was hard for a women to be employed. She was harassed by village people.
In an interview she said that she became ‘Muthu’ after the demise of her husband so that she could raise her child.
She said that she has worked at construction sites, hotels, and tea shops. She also revealed about facing harassment, sexual taunts, and difficulty.
In order to stop her daily struggle, she had chopped her hair at the Tiruchendur Murugan Temple and changed her attire to a shirt and lungi.
She told that no one knew about her identity except her daughter and her close family members.
Although, her daughter is now married but Patchiammal is still not ready to change her attire.
She said that this identity ensured a safe life for her daughter. Patchiammal said that she wants to die as ‘Muthu’.
