The daily struggle

THE BEGINNING

8year-old Jai, carrying his family’s only source of income, looks up to the sun in the hot afternoon. He had not made a sale of even a single ladoo yet. With stones piercing his bare feet, sweat dripping from his forehead, he runs after buses, which make temporary stop at the bus stand. He shouts his soul out to ensure that his voice is not drowned in the midst of the honking buses.

Born in the poorest of the poor families in Bhatkal, a quiet town in coastal Karnataka, Jai was the oldest among 5 siblings; 2 brothers and 3 sisters. His father had not been home for well over a year, with questionable whereabouts. The family was not too alarmed, his absence was a regular feature of their lives. They lived in one room mud house the size of a modern-day kitchen. The mother made beads of flower to sell in the local market, but the income was meagre to feed 6 mouths.

The plight of the family forced bright minded Jai to drop out of school. He willed himself to sacrifice his love for books to basket of ladoos in order to help his family from dire straits. His mother would make ladoos and he would sell them at bus stops. Every morning at 6 am, he trudged bare feet, encompassing hope of the family, that they would at least have something to eat, when he returned back after selling the goods. Evenings, he would sit in the local markets, to sell flowers. All of this to make ends meet. Alas, many times, there was just enough to eat for his siblings, with Jai himself going to bed with hunger as his soulmate. Times were very tough!

THE BREAK

After selling at bus stops for almost 2 years, it dawned upon the boy, this could not be his life. He aspired a decent life. He insisted with his mother, they need to find another way to earn a living. He could not accept their abject poverty. One day, the mother while selling flowers at the temple doorstep, happened to chance upon a meeting, with a kind hearted hotelier. Upon hearing the mothers’ plight, the hotelier decided to lend a helping hand. He summoned Jai and asked him to join his hotel in Bellary, Northern Karnataka, situated 400 kms away from his home town. The boy, although afraid to leave his home and mother, hesitated only for a few seconds and then readily agreed without batting an eyelid.

After couple of days, he set out on his journey early morning to Bellary. He had never left his home since birth in the last 10 years. He only had money to travel one-way with a spare set of clothes and a ragged slipper. On deboarding the bus, he went straight to the hotel and introduced himself to the hotel manager. The manager immediately put him to task. He was to wash all the utensils, cups, plates and clean the tables. If there was time, he would also help in cleaning the hotel floor. For all this work, he would be paid a monthly remuneration of Rs. 8/-, far cry from what he was earning selling ladoos at the bus stop. The boy accepted the offer in great anticipation. On his first night after work, he was asked to sleep in the hotel lobby, as the hotel did not have staff accommodation. He was given a pair of work clothes.

Come what may, he decided to work due diligently and carve out a life for him and his family. Every morning he would wake up at 5 am and commence his work at the hotel. He would mop the floor, clean the tables before the hotel opened its shutters for customers. After that, the boy used to clean the plates and utensils, almost throughout the day. Once the customers left, he used to once again perform the hotel cleaning activity, before calling it a long day at midnight. Work was rough, he used to get reprimanded many a times for even the slightest mistake at work. Sometimes the boy felt like quitting it all and going home to his mother. He would sit alone in the corner at night and cry himself to sleep. His body ached from the barrage of work. But every time he remembered his mothers’ plight and forced himself to gulp down the sorrows. Jai egged himself to face the situation head on and embrace each morning with a radiant smile. A month passed and he received his first official pay. Jai’s happiness knew no bounds. He sent the entire amount to his family.

After working for over a year at the hotel, Jai felt stagnated, he wanted to earn more. He was talking to a few at the hotel and heard of an opportunity in Gadag which was offering almost double of what he was currently earning. He informed the manager of his desire to leave and set off to Gadag, 300 kms away. He had not been home for over a year and was not intending to waste money on home travels. On reaching the hotel in Gadag, he introduced himself and his work experience accounted for about 20% higher wage. He reluctantly accepted the offer. Alas, there was no hotel lobby to sleep this time. The boy, took shelter on the pavement at the nearby bus stand at night. Looking at his plight, few days later, the hotel staff offered him to stay in their room. Days now turned into months. The boys unequivocal journey continued. His penchant for learning never dwindled. Every now and then, he would glance through the local newspapers and try to read what he could.

After about a year, the boy was on the move once again. This time he got a hunch that hotels in Goa were paying more than double his current salary. Never the one to miss out an opportunity, he took the bus and set foot in a different state for the first time in his life at the age of 12. The language, the people, the culture was all unique. He was willing to learn and be a part of it. He joined a hotel near the bus stand. This time along with his regular tasks, he was also given the task of a waiter. The boy took this as an opportunity to know many customers first hand. One such chance interaction informed him of a prospect in Bombay, which would help him earn Rs. 50 per month. His eyes glistened.

He had heard of Bombay as the city of dreams and wished to realize his dream. As part of his character, immediately, he set off by the boat via sea route from Goa to Bombay. Upon reaching the hotel in Bombay and working for a few days, he realized that the offer had fallen through and the salary was even lesser as compared to Goa. Desponded and doomed he decided to move back to Goa. After working for couple more months, he made enough money to voyage back to Goa and join the same hotel.

THE CONSOLIDATION

After sending money to his family for years together, Jai’s siblings could afford stomach filling food now. He was also saving money to marry off his sisters. He had not been home for the past 10 years and ached to see his family. But his work here was unfinished. He was trying to beat the odds and rise like a phoenix. Deep in heart, he knew he was destined to see better days.

One fine day, while serving tea and snacks to a customer, he chanced upon a book brought by customer. He desired to read it and inquired with the customer. The surprised customer, who knew Jai for the past year, willingly obliged and asked to read for him. Jai equally surprised with the request, started reading out. The customer happily offered the book and told him to keep it. And that’s how the young boys luck changed. The customer with deep intrigue prodded him. Jai narrated his whole story and how he ended up at a hotel in Goa. The customer encouraged Jai to apply for long distance matriculation and that he would help him out with his studies. Only, after passing matriculation, he would reveal his plans. Jai could not wish for anything more. He would grab the bull by the horns and ride scrupulously.

After his application was accepted, he worked during the day and burned the midnight oil. The godsend customer helped him with his studies and even paid for his study materials. His strive for improvement, the zeal to see the greener side of the life, endeavored him towards his goal. The results were there for all to see. Although, he scrapped through matriculation, it was a tremendous feat. The hotel manager was also pleased with Jai’s determination.

Luck favors the brave. The customer turned out to be a Bank Manager. He asked the young man, now 21, to apply for the post of peon at the Bank, based on his matriculation results. The Bank duly accepted his application and fixed his salary at Rs. 960/- per month. From the standards a decade ago, this was a lottery. A momentous achievement. But he was striving for more. After working at the post of peon for a few years, he married off his sisters.

Discussions with his colleagues, made him realize that he needed to become a graduate in order to climb through the ranks. He applied for long distance education. He was helped by his colleague and roommate who would take care of the household chores, so that Jai could focus on studies after office. It took another 3 years of hard willed determination for Jai to become a graduate. His mother was proud. Tears of joy filled her when she heard her son’s achievement. He was promoted and worked as cashier at a reputed bank, a very respectable and responsible position. Mother was now staying with him in a rented room, father expired few years ago.

Jai had an indifferent childhood, a far from convenient environment for a child to grow up. However, he never let the circumstances deter him from aspiring a decent life. With an amalgamation of courage, fortitude and hard work, he swam against the current and emerged victoriously against all odds.