Gayatri Gautam

Gayatri Gautam, a 36-year-old housemaid and cook from Pune, journeyed from Someshwar Wadi, Pune to Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh during the lockdown. Relying on previous savings and borrowed money, she and her family faced a challenging journey with no prior information, as her husband learned about the lockdown from an unspecified source.

They walked long distances, occasionally taking buses, and experienced exhaustion, especially with children in tow. Food and water were scarce, and finding safe shelter was difficult. Despite some people offering food, the journey took 15-18 days.

Upon arrival, they were quarantined for a few days. With no work in the village and disrupted education for her children, Gayatri received no support and returned to the city to find new employment. She hopes such lockdowns are avoided in the future.