A Fight !!

This is not a fairy tale neither am I going to tell you about the coolest pubs around. On the other hand, this is the story of the harsh reality, tough challenges and more importantly the fighting spirit, never – say – die attitude & perennial optimism.

Balkrishna Joshi, a 58 year old rikshaw driver, whose rikshaw I was travelling in at 10 o`clock in the night, had something about him that was special. There was something that got me talking to him and the conversation led to a story that was impressive in the true sense of the word.

Mr. Joshi, found himself in Prarthana Samaj, a famous orphanage in Vile Parle, at the age of 3. He cant remember the face of either of his parents. He was gifted with a disaster right at the beginning of his life. He left his now – forbidden home at the age of 18, as he realized that it was time for him to prove himself in a world full of challenges.

He started working in a soap factory as a worker. Then came the time when he had to get married. He strongly believed that his family should not suffer financially because of his small income and hence took up a job that would pay him more “Apne parivaar walon se main kabhi kaam nahi karaunga. Khud mehnat karke unhe sambhalna meri jimmedari hai”, says the man. He started working as a delivery boy in a shop. He would carry heavy luggage on his strong shoulders and transport it to different places. The amount of hard work that he used to put in was immense.

At the age of 39, the wise person, realized that with increasing age, its getting difficult for him to continue with his old job and got a rikshaw permit for himself. He has been driving a rikshaw for 19 years now. What I was shocked to hear was that the veteran rikshaw wala, is well – aware of the importance of education and his elder son is studying civil engineering whereas the younger one is in 12^th standard. “Main zindagi mein kuch nahi kar saka, par mere bete padh likh kar bade banenge, yahi ek ummid hai. Inhi ke liye itni mehnat kar raha hoon”, said Mr. joshi, as I was completely touched and impressed at the same time. When questioned about his income he says that he gets 4, 500 a month by driving a rikshaw. But is that enough to support his family? No, its not. And hence he works in a shop in the morning before hitting the roads with his rikshaw. That takes his monthly income to an approximate figure of 7,000 a month. “Zindagi mein kitni bhi mushkile aye, haar nahi manana”, advises the man.

I was completely stunned to hear this overwhelming story of the fight that Mr. Joshi has put forward and the way he has faced the hurdles in life. I was supposed to get some change back when I paid him the money, I asked him to keep the change but he returned it to me and said, “Sahab main haram ka paisa nahi leta. Mehnat pe vishwaas rakhta hoon”. That flamboyance in his speech and truth in his behavior bowled me over once again.

It was time for me to leave him alone & stop the bombardment of my questions. For the first time, I actually wanted to talk more to a rikshaw driver. We exchanged goodbyes and parted ways. One thing that I must mention here is that I learned a lot more about life from him than what I could ever learn inside the locked class rooms of the schools or colleges that I have attended.