With the break of the dawn, he comes at his small kiosk, at a, not so conspicuous, corner of Sector 23 Market. He has his carrier along with him, which is a worn out tricycle on which he carries all the paraphernalia to set up his, not so famous, 'Tea Stall’. The carrier bears the load of his own(as he drives it), a gas cylinder, a burner, few tumblers - large and small, some jars and few countable tea glasses - which he has purchased after much thought and becomes too disturbed if, unfortunately, one of them breaks. It costs him a half day earning of his to purchase a new set and also has to listen to their customer's abuses failing to serve tea in a glass. So by the time his small tea stall sets up, the clock ticks 30 past 5 of the morning. Yes a chilly winter morning - when most of us prefer to cuddle ourselves into our cosy blankets. Now you will ask, who has asked this idiot to come to work so early? I too asked him this one day. His answer was "Bhaiya, few night shift blokes visit for the early morning sip. So my 2-3 glasses of tea gets sold daily between 5.30 and 6.00". Immediately I shot my next question - "But yaar just for 2-3 cups, why do you spoil your sleep and bear the brunt of this freeze?” He just added with a gullible smile "Bhaiya bahot ho jaate hain". I dint have anything to say after that.
He prepares one of the best teas of the market, as per his abilities, putting all the necessary ingredients - Tea Leaves, Milk, Sugar, Ginger - to start his day and to make his customers start their day with a bang!! But unfortunately, not so many people turn up to his kiosk. So he takes delivery orders too - from Pan-Wala, Electrician, Barber, Tailor, Medical and General Stores around, Reliance Fresh staff, Spencer staff and all those who are convinced with the 'Ganpat'(his name) Brand of tea. After preparing the tea for delivery, he swings into his carrier, along with the kettle and tea glasses and pedals through the shops where he has to deliver. He sometimes loses few visiting customers in the process of delivery. But he never deters from this.
Then comes the collection of glasses from the delivery points - In the evening, when I come back from office and watch him in this phase of his day, it gives me shiver down to the bottom, as he never takes his carrier along. He says each time he can't drive his carrier. He feels tired. He simply swings down his small stool, on which he sits, and sports his slippers on his palms and with all the smoothness, he crawls briskly on the road, with people towering over him. Yes, you saw it correctly - he wears his slippers on his palms and crawls. He has purchased the slippers for his palms itself, as he doesn't have legs to walk. Both his legs are polio crippled. When he walks with the help of his palms on the rough road,( we can't even walk bare foot), that creates one of the most painful scene for that moment to watch at as it seems anyone can crush this man anytime, who seems so tiny down the road with humans and animals around paying no heed to his presence.
But Ganpat is not an ordinary human being. He has all his strength inside which is his willpower and eagerness to survive on his own. He may seem a tiny creature physically but he is the man of substance. He deems himself just an ordinary man. It’s his inner strength which has fetched lot of respect for himself. He dislikes any sort of sympathy and no one even gives that sympathy to him. The very stroll of his, which has so much valiance and pride within itself, would coerce you to smile in eulogy for this superhero of Sector 23.
This is what I would call a self strength and a desire to survive with a self esteem. We all must learn from the fortitude, the will power, and the tenacity he displays for his survival because had there been any ordinary person he would have definitely chosen to sit in front of any Gurudwara or a Temple with a begging bowl in hand. I agree that not all people of his ilk would be having the same determination to survive in a self esteemed way as Ganpat has but we - The “ables” - can surely encourage them to go for this by citing Ganpat's example. Can't we? I don't encourage beggars. I don't give anything to beggars who are very much able to earn their bread but have chosen not to work by their will and instead went for such a disgusting thing as begging. If Ganpat can do, why can't you damn it, with all your limbs at their places? We have lot of opportunities; we choose ourselves what to take and what not to shrug off. Everyone has options. It’s the attitude which helps you taking your call on this. It’s all there in your mind. It's just about to take the right decision believing in your abilities. Can't we educate these people who feel that begging is the easiest job to do? We should make them aware that they can make their life much better if they choose to drive their lives by themselves rather than depending on others. This would be a self realisation for them if we stop giving the able beggars anything. Stop encouraging beggars!! By entertaining beggars we are making an individual's life more miserable. Help only those who you feel can't help themselves. Think once.
