Monday, September 10, 2012

Why I became a Rickshaw-walla

I have realised that,
The perspective generally doesn’t change from what you see, hear or read.
It changes dramatically - sometimes in a snap - when your skin feels, sweat and bleed. 

I have sat in a rickshaw a zillion times, but every time in the rear seat. This seat is very cozy. It has got a shade; good amount of leg space and in most cases a good cushion as well. When the sun is over your head in all its fury, nothing beats a rickshaw ride. 

But what it means to be a rickshaw walla? How does it feel to pull a rickshaw right from the morning till late in the evening?

I am a Cyclist and have cycled at times even 200 kms in a day pedalling 12-14 hours continuously (with refreshment & washroom breaks of course!) but these rides are done once in a blue moon, high on adrenaline. It’s just me and my bike and nobody else. It’s about freedom and pleasure. And it’s about binging too; afterall I have to take a lot of carbs and proteins and fluids to keep myself in good shape!

What’s the case with a rickshaw walla? How high on Adrinaline can he afford to be when he knows that pulling a rickshaw the entire day is not a one-off pleasure ride but his routine? It’s not about freedom; it’s more about being a slave to the circumstances. It’s not a pleasure ride for him; it’s drudgery. And forget binging, there are occasions when they have only enough money to either buy dinner or pay the rickshaw rent and you know what’s the priority!

However, whatever I have said above is just a scholarly talk, looks good in a research paper. Until and unless I be there, until and unless I sit on that saddle in front of that cozy seat on which I have hitherto sat, how can I possibly know what it is like to be a rickshaw walla? That’s why I have become a rickshaw-walla.

You realize what it means to be a rickshaw puller when you ass craves for mercy from that rickety broken saddle, when your knees and palms and lower-back pain incessantly, when your already bald head gets some crispy hot slaps from the furious sun (and it’s a suptember sun, mind you, not june!) and when you don’t urinate the entire day cuz there’s only enough water in your body to either sweat or pee and you don’t have enough money to buy that extra amount of water!

But honestly, I still havn't fully realized what it means to be a rickshaw-walla because at dusk when the real rickshaw-walla goes back to his shanty dwelling (if any) or on the footpath or bus-stand, i come back home while enjoying the AC of Delhi Metro so sleep on a comfy bed! I hope I'll muster enough courage to experience that as well few days down the line.

And lastly, the most prominent change of perspective - 
When you are on the back seat of the rickshaw, a hot girl looks like a prospective mate, someone you would like to approach but when you are on the saddle, a hot girl only looks like a prospective customer! The similarity however is - you would still like to approach her to say,....... “Madam Rickshaw?”

31 comments:

  1. LHM

    Interesting project Gaurav. Take care of yourself though. I have a feeling your folks would blow a gasket if you told them you're plying rickshaws. But all the best. God Bless.
    Jaimon Joseph

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    1. thanks man.
      yeh, even i have a feeling thats why I havn't told them. and I hope they wont come to know abt it...in the near future at least.
      cheers

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  2. hey i met u today while coming back from my college (SRCC) was with a friend!! i think u write well and all the best!!!

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    1. oh hi 'Zephyr'(i doubt if that's ur real name!) thanks a lot for the read. I can say for sure that I have two readers!

      And if someone from SRCC thinks that I write well, I can't dare to defy her! ;)
      thanks

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  3. hey u are right my name is not "zephyr" its parul!! also keep going!! the kind of work u are doing i dont think anyone would think of its one hell of a challenge and i hope you bring laurels back home!!! :)

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    1. oh hi, Parul. Just pray that my gharwale dont come to know through someone about this stuff else even i don't know what laurels i'll take back home ! ;)
      and trust me, this challenge is nothing against past the cut-offs of SRCC ! its one heaven of a challenge.
      jokes apart, thanks a lot.

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  4. Replies
    1. almost the entire day. from the morning till the evening the very first day. subsequent days, I spotted enough places where i could get free water n hence drank a lot! :)

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  5. gr8 work gaurav. m usually not a reader. but don't know what make me read your entire project.. n m left speechless. gr8 work chief

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    1. hey, those were some really inspiring words for a newbie writer. thanks a lot for giving the entire blog a read against ur basic instincts! ;)

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  6. That is a one of a kind project, friend.. You write excellently too.And here's to hoping your parents dont get to know about you slaving in the hot sun..(From a Feudal Reader! )

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    1. thanks Feudal reader.
      even I hope that they the status quo remains for as long as it can!

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  7. Very interesting project. Is it business as usual in DU now that the colleges have a week-long vacation?

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    1. this post - http://cycletorickshaw.blogspot.in/2012/10/gandhis-birthday-gift.html - shd tell you how usual the business is during the vacations!
      nobody wants the students back as much as we do! :)

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  8. Gaurav - Dont be surprised if your folks back home actually turn out to be proud of your determination in going thru with this project!

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    1. I just hope... and as Tim robbins said in 'Shawshank Redemption' - Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things...

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  9. great way to understand brother, the work and the lives. But do initiate something so things can change for them as well as for you.... ;-) ......

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  10. Dude. Superb idea. Throughly impressed. And remember.looking at hot girls shouldn't be a problem. Thier prospective needs to change too.

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  11. Bhai, you remind me of George Orwell. Do cash-in on the experience and hope you have the last laugh.

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  12. Words are not enough to defy your effort.... well thought and executed project. I Wish you all the best & hope something good will come out of this for RicksawWalas :)

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  13. I read about you today morning in my local news paper prabhat khabar and it was sumthing like.......... dont know what to say :) I came to this blog to know more and read it all .... while reading i could relate to few thing you illustrated.... the problems created by police.. tough competition and the fare issue.....many times i felt bad for those rickshaw pullers who were working in cold weather without shoes and warm cloths... how can they sustain in all harsh weather...... I have done Master's in journalism and Mass communication and wanted to join journalism but my dad was against it and I had to end up with a clerical job in State Bank of India. I really respect you a lot for being so brave :) i wish people grow some sort of respect to each hard working person in out society.

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  15. TANKS BHAYA G. AAP NE JO LIKHA USNE MERE DIL KO CHHO LIYA.
    GANDHI K IS DES ME LOG AAJ LOG KI HI KADAR KARNA VOL GAYE HAI.
    RICKSHAW PULLER KI TO KOI IJJAT HI NAHI KARTA.

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  16. Hi Gaurav,

    i havent followed any blog. this is the first one where i have already ready all your popluar posts and in the comings days will be going thorugh all the posts.
    Readng them gives a picture of another "White Tiger" (Arvind Adiga) in the making!!

    Kudos..

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  17. Hi Mr. Gaurav Jain,

    dear, I salute your thinking and angle.

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    1. I too salute his way of struggling his life..that surely will be a inspirational for us...

      may god bless you with a Topmost career then only it can fulfill your education.

      Warm Regards!....
      Shahid Ahmed

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  18. Dude a 100 salutes to you.......really brave.....what came to my mind is why not find a solution so that the rickshaw puller also get shade...like the person sitting at the rear seat..... i mean same covering can be attached to the seat of rickshaw puller....it may generate some money which can be used for their welfare

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  19. A friend just sent me this url and told me to go and have a look. A very unique project and you write great as well. and yeh may be with a different view altogether, but a fresh one. like the home coming article btw. good luck with your project.

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  20. I don't have words to express what I am feeling. But, what you are doing is simply great! Hope you achieve whatever's in your head.

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  21. Though I am late but man you are awesome.

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