The Temple That Was a Home

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Chanda knew struggle before she knew comfort. At her parents’ home in Ahmedabad, she watched her mother take up domestic work to keep the family afloat. By 14, Chanda was walking the same path — washing utensils, cleaning floors, and doing laundry in the bungalows of Manekbaug Society.The families she worked for were kind. One couple, Bhai and Bhabhi, always told her the same thing: “Chanda, don’t stop studying. Education is the only wealth no one can take from you.” At the time, she smiled and nodded. But after Class 10, she dropped out. Marriage took her to a small