New Delhi

Rahimi, an 80-year-old woman from Tilakpuri village in the Mewat region of Haryana, had saved her silver bangle for her last days. She even contemplated gifting it for the wedding of a poor woman.

As the floods overwhelmed the neighbouring Punjab running across fields and villages in all 23 districts, and local women started raising donations of grains and cash for the affected people, Rahimi took it off her arm and handed it over to volunteers collecting relief for flood-hit Punjab.

She also donated her savings for the flood relief in Punjab.

"They are our own; if we don't help them, who will?" she remarked while speaking to volunteers and reporters.

Rahimi told the Times of India newspaper, "I wanted to give it to a poor girl for her marriage before I die, but I think the people of our own Punjab deserve it more today. It is not much, but that is all I have."

She said having gone through the experience of the 1996 flood, she empathizes with the plight of its victims in Punjab. "That time, big landowners turned destitute, women donated their donkeys, and children were roaming around looking for a bite to eat," Rahimi told the TOI in her trembling voice.

The video of her offering her silver bengal to volunteers for flood relief is being shared on X like anything:

That's #Mewat for you. Simple and surprising. The district where majority still struggle for basic needs people especially senior women are out giving their ornaments, pensions for #PunjabFloods2025 because they know how #Floods feel. Kisaniyat is what binds them together.… pic.twitter.com/HkKCLnvoKs

— Sumedha Sharma (@sumedhasharma86) September 8, 2025

Although Rahimi has emerged as the face of locals' generosity and compassion towards their compatriots, Meo (Muslim) women from the Mewat region are setting a great example of rising to the occasion.

In Nunchara village in Sehna block, women in their seventies and eighties have donated about 2 kg of silver and 20 grams of gold, worth about five lakh rupees, to Punjab relief efforts.

It may be mentioned that the Mewat region is one of the most backward areas of the country. Its socio-economic indices are poor, and per capita income is among the lowest in the country. However, the donations raised by locals for the flood-affected people of Punjab only prove that compassion is not related to riches.

Local social workers say that Meo women often save the prized piece of their jewellery for donating it to a poor girl on her wedding.

This time, the trend of donations caught up with the women, and many of them donated their pensions, others chipped in with their personal savings, while younger ones came forward with their dowries, utensils, and food grains.

So far, more than 250 truckloads of relief supplies have been sent to Punjab from the region.

यह वही लोगों है जिन्हें आजादी की लड़ाई में कुर्बानी से लेकर आभूषण थी दिया थे ।
आज वही मेवाती पंजाब बाढ़ पीड़ितों के लिए तन मन धन से साथ खड़े है।
महिला अपने आभूषण तक दान कर रही है अपने भाईचारा के लिए 🔥
यही तो छोटूराम का पंजाब है 💪🚜
मेवात ♥️♥️♥️ pic.twitter.com/uiW4zZRHHv

— ashokdanoda (@ashokdanoda) September 8, 2025

The womenfolk in Mewat are weaving rugs for the flood-affected children to sleep on and others, and making rotis that don't get spoiled for days.

“Money cannot cover your child when he is shivering with cold after the water recedes. Biscuits do not satisfy hunger. I have neither jewellery nor money, but I weave the best rugs in the area. I have made four rugs and sent them. These handmade rugs are strong enough to cover the body," Rahimi said.

The local mosques are making appeals for donations for the Punjab flood victims, and have become collection centers for relief.

Coordinators Umar Parla and Zafar Aslam say that Mewat has a tradition of service, and it's not the first time for them. "Mewat may not have much, but we share what we have. We are connected to Punjab by a single dharma of humanity. We know what suffering every farmer is going through today. Today we are doing our duty, tomorrow we are sure that our brothers will also stand with us," he said.

ALSO READ: Abdul Sattar scripting change through his Rabindra-Nazrul Academy

Akhil Palani, Deputy Commissioner, Nuh, told the TOI, "The spirit of the people has amazed us. The youth are organizing the relief campaign, and both men and women are doing their best. We are ensuring that there is no hindrance in the collection and delivery of relief materials."