When Colours Returned To Her Prayers
As blindness dimmed Sumitra's prayers and purpose, one intervention transformed grey days into colour, devotion, and renewed faith—rural village.
When Colours Returned to Her Prayers
With careful hands, Sumitra Devi plucked a handful of marigolds from her garden and held them close.
For so long, these flowers looked grey and lifeless. Now, I can see their bright yellows and reds again, she said softly.
After years, colour had found its way back into her world—and into her prayers.
A Morning of Faith, Once Lost
It was late morning in Korea village of Amnour block. The air was cold and sharp, biting against the skin. At 56, Sumitra Devi sat on a low wooden stool, slowly tying flower garlands for the evening puja.
There was a time I couldn’t even use a needle, she admitted.
The simple ritual she once cherished had slipped out of reach.
Placing garlands before her god was more than routine—it was her quiet devotion, her daily connection to faith. And for a long while, that connection had dimmed.
Two Years of Withdrawing from What She Loved
For nearly two years, cataract clouded her vision—and her life.
Her husband, Babulal, remembered the change clearly.
I had always known her to be energetic about her pujas. Slowly, I saw her withdraw. Watching her struggle made me feel helpless, he said.
The woman who once held the home together was learning to step back.
Her younger son echoed the pain.
She has managed everything on her own since my childhood. Seeing her depend on others was heartbreaking.
Even her daughter-in-law noticed the silent loss.
I offered to tie the garlands so she could just pray. But she would always turn away. It hurt her too much, she said.
A Turning Point at the Outreach Camp
Hope arrived through a simple announcement.
Babulal heard about an Akhand Jyoti outreach camp and took Sumitra along. After a thorough check-up, she was diagnosed with cataract and referred to the Akhand Jyoti Centre of Excellence.
From travel arrangements to treatment, the team took care of everything.
Within three days, her surgery was completed successfully.
And just like that, the darkness began to lift.
Seeing Colour, Offering Gratitude
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When Sumitra returned home, she went straight to her flower garden.
She smiled as she remembered that moment—the marigolds glowing once again in bright yellows and reds. Gently placing one in our hands, she whispered:
To see colours again… it feels like offering my prayers for the very first time.
For Sumitra Devi, restored vision did more than heal her eyes.
It returned her faith, her dignity, and the quiet joy of devotion she thought she had lost forever.
