Kumari Pushpa Raj, a resident of Ilra village in Gaya district, has carved out a successful entrepreneurial journey that has transformed her life. Until five years ago, she managed routine household chores, but today she earns a monthly income exceeding one lakh rupees. Her venture began in 2022 when she set up a small kiosk outside the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya to sell sweets prepared from neira. Being associated with the Jeevika group enabled her to receive government assistance, including a vending kiosk and a neira cooling machine, alongside a loan of eighty thousand rupees to fund her initial setup.
Overcoming Initial Hurdles And Building Demand
In the early days, the market demand for neira-based sweets was quite low, requiring continuous efforts to explain the product's unique qualities to buyers. For the first year or two, even earning five hundred rupees in a day proved challenging, and customers had to be educated about the health benefits of neira before they made a purchase. However, as local consumers and international visitors acquired a taste for the products, demand picked up steadily. Daily savings gradually rose to between five hundred and eight hundred rupees, laying a solid foundation for future expansion.
Expanding From A Kiosk To Multiple Outlets
Encouraged by the growing popularity, Pushpa established a second stall near the divisional office in Gaya city and eventually opened a large shop near the Bhagalpur turn in Bodh Gaya. Today, she successfully operates three distinct retail points. Foreign pilgrims and tourists visiting from Tibet and Nepal developed a strong preference for these traditional treats, frequently packing them to take across borders. Her daily earnings now range between three and four thousand rupees, and every member of her household has integrated into the growing enterprise.
Government Recognition And Employment Generation
The business received significant official validation when her stall was inaugurated by the then Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who even visited her village to inspect the production of neira-based jaggery and sweets. This recognition helped build consumer trust and awareness. Beyond achieving financial independence for her own family, Pushpa has created jobs for six local people who help run the operations across her multiple locations, turning a modest local stall into a thriving regional enterprise.
