Many Indians living in poverty make their livelihood
through humble traders. Selling flower on the roadside is one such profession.
The
Life Story Of a Flower Vendor.
Lakkhi Murmu, a 30 year old flower vendor from Gede,
has been selling flowers over 5 years “I started to come here at the age of ten
with my grandmother and eventually from last 5 years I took over the business”
she said . Her stall near DumDum Hanuman Mandir is richly adorned with vibrant
garlands of jasmine,roses,orchids and morning holy flowers. Her Sweet face with
wrinkles with long black hair on her head, wearing old red colour saree she answered
few of my question.
1)
When and how do you start
your daily journey to come here for selling flowers ?
-
I start my daily journey in wee hours of
the morning when others used to sleep and dream for their future. I travel four
km to catch first Gede-Sealdah local train and from sealdah I go to howrah
wholesale flower market to buy fresh flower for selling here.
2)
How much do you earn from this business
?
-
It varies, sometimes I can make as much as
500 rupees a day, otherwise, I don’t even make enough to buy milk and proper meal
for my family.
3)
So are you the only earning member in
your house ?
-Yes, 5 years ago my husband had an
accident and after that he is unable to walk. So there is no chance of other
working member in my house.
4)
Is there special day or season when your
business flourish more ?
-
The business flourishes more on Tuesday and
Saturday, and during temple festivels ,
“On those days I usally stay until 1p.m but on regular days I usally go home
within 11a.m . On these days I make 2,000 rupees because many people come here
to give puja in the temple and they order special flower chains which are more
costly than other normal flowers.
5)
What kind of food do you eat daily ?
-
Early morning I used to have puffed rice
with some vegetable sabji and a cup of tea before coming here. During the day
time I have some solid food from a cheap hotel near DumDum station. At
night, me and my husband used to have roti with dal or other vegetable sabjis.
6)
During childhood age what was your dream
?
-
“Haha you make me laugh” she said.
During childhood age every child dream to become a doctor, teacher, or
enggnier. But my dream was to marry a guy who will have his own house ,car and
to be wealthy. But now look at my luck ,
I am selling flower to run my family.
7)
Is there any future plan ?
-
No,there is no future plan yet. But
there is a dream to make my own house and a wholesale flower shop at howrah
flower market,which require lots of money and for me this dream is like to
touch the sky while standing on the ground.
8)
How is your life ? Is it like the sweet
smell of rose or the throny part in the stick of rose ?
-
Not at all, my life is not like the
sweet smell of rose, where as I want my life to be like the sweet smell of
rose. And on the other hand my life is not even like the thorny part of the
rose, But any how I will make it smell like rose.
9)
Why don’t you have any child ?
-
I lost my son in an accident , he was my
life, his age was 5 years when he died. That accident took my life from me and
my husband lost his both legs, became handicapped. But still I feel sujoy is around
me and calls me “Khelcho na kno tumi maa” …… “Khide peyeche maa”…..He still cry
for me…….. I lost him I lost him.
10)
Are you happy with this profession ?
-
I never thought of doing any kind of
work in my life but there is nothing to do. I have to run my family. But in
this profession my grandfather was there so any how I had little knowledge about
this profession therefore I like it.
“Indian
streets are full of such people such as Lakkhi, who take pride in carrying
ahead their ancestral
business and to run their family, even they are no longer greatly profitable and
turning their work into personal joy”.
By- Debjit Mukherjee
