In Jhilahi village under the Manakapur block of Uttar Pradesh's Gonda district, Radha Devi Prajapati has turned her home kitchen into a small enterprise. She prepares pure, natural rose water without using any chemical substances, and that is exactly why demand for her product keeps rising, bringing her a steady income.
From picking flowers to extracting the essence
Radha Devi says the process starts with selecting fresh, fragrant rose flowers. These flowers are washed repeatedly in clean water so that every trace of dust or dirt is removed. After that, the essence of the flowers is drawn out through a traditional, natural process. That very essence eventually becomes the pure rose water she sells. No chemical or artificial substance enters the process at any stage, which keeps the final product completely natural.
Bottling and hygiene get equal attention
Once the essence is ready, the rose water is filled into clean bottles for packing. Radha Devi says hygiene and quality are watched closely throughout the process so that whatever reaches a customer is genuinely pure. She believes this consistency is exactly why people keep coming back to buy her rose water.
From skincare to prayer rituals
According to Radha Devi, her rose water is used for facial care, refreshing the skin, cooling the eyes and is also widely used during prayer rituals. Because it is natural, people increasingly prefer it over chemical-based rose water available elsewhere. Buyers are no longer limited to nearby villages alone; people from other regions are now placing orders for her product too.
A small start that is now scaling up
Radha Devi recalls that she began this work at a very small scale. As people's trust in her product grew over time, her work expanded along with it. She is now planning to increase production so that her rose water can reach even more people. At present, around 5 to 6 women work alongside her in this venture.
An example for other village women
Radha Devi believes that if rural women receive proper training and a little support, they too can start small home based businesses and become self-reliant. Her initiative has already become a source of inspiration for many women. Her story shows that hard work combined with good quality can write a fresh success story even from a village.
