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After evening walk, I stopped at the bench of the teashop that is just near the entrance of the park. I greeted the Chaiwala bhai sahab and asked for a glass of water. I do not drink tea (Sometimes I take lemon tea or green tea at my room) so in that way I am not his customer. Usually after evening walk I take some rest on his bench, drink water, and spend time with him chatting about anything and everything ranging from day to day problems to national political scenario. He is a chatterbox and I observed that I enjoy his trust as he confides in me even his personal problems. Today, I found him bit upset. When I asked the reason, at first, he hesitated but latter poured his heart out. He continued, “See sir, today that party has decided to honor the chai wala, only chaiwala. Very good. Every party is paying heed to we people, common people these days, you see. Even I heard that the party at headquarter is thinking to give ticket to a tea chaiwala for this constituency. I felt very happy, but --
“But, what? I interrupted .They did not give you ticket for this constituency? Means, you want to leave this profession and want to enter into politics”- I teased.
“No, no--- you did not understand. I have no such ambition. I know my hasiyat and aukad.” He was defensive. But sir, the person that party people honored and thinking of giving ticket is not worthy of getting respect and I detest him. He is a really disgrace for our chaiwala community and he knows I loathe him that why I was not even called in meeting. See, I have never been to party politics, but if anybody trying to give respect to any profession, it should be done in proper manner, isn’t it?” – There was a pain in his voice.
His story was getting interesting. He is opposed to that person who is perhaps going to get ticket for this constituency. A chai wala opposing the rise of another chaiwala silently. If it is not interesting, then what else will be? I smiled – might be professional jealously or any personal grudge.
“Why do you detest him”- I asked.
“It’s a long story- he continued – fifteen years back, both of us had opened up tea stalls in this area. My teashop near by his park and his stall was in the colony. At that time, this area was full of hooligans. They used to come at our shops but I always kept an arm’s length from them but he hobnobbed with them. In that year, two big dacoities took place in that colony and he was the informer of the hooligans. His shop was the meeting point for them and he took active part in those dacoities. Those hooligans looted around ten kgs of gold from two houses and he got a lion share from that booty. Within year, he changed the profession and became property dealer. Then his money and influence kept on increasing. He never cared for chaiwala or poor people. Even some days before, he had beaten a person black and blue because he asked for help reminding him of his humble (minus criminal) past. Kudos to present political atmosphere, where everybody is trying to prove himself common man -chai wala, taxi wala, pan wala” -
“ya, you are right, but police did not arrest him for his criminal act”- I wondered , how he got away with criminal act.
He laughed. “You are talking about police, they had asked everyone after the dacoity and I had given the important evidence against him but I heard after some days that he paid a hefty amount to the Sub inspector and that Sub inspector exonerated him from all the charges. Yes, That SI was posted here for three years and all three years he continuously harassed me without any reason”.
He drank a glass of water and continued – “ see – he was a criminal in the garb of chaiwala , he did crime , earned money, changed profession, earned reputation , never mentioned his past profession lest him value go down among elite, he never felt any association with Chaiwala . Today when he saw benefit in his past profession, he changed the colour like chameleon and claiming himself chaiwala and a real chaiwala is not even asked to attend the occasion and criminal chaiwala is honored today”.
Meanwhile, two customers came to his stall. They overheard our chat. He inquired, “Who is criminal chai-wala?”
Chaiwala bhai sahib changed the subject. “ Nothing shahab. We were talking that in every profession, there are good people and bad people. Even you may find criminal chaiwala at some places even though, it is rare”
“No no – why rare, I know, there was a chaiwala in my colony. In front of his stall, there was a big house, there used to live three beautiful girls. All lads of the colony used to sit at his shop all the day hoping to get a glimpse of the girls. That chaiwala always encouraged those lads as it was beneficial for his business”- that was first customer.
Second customer complimented – “I know a chaiwala who used to mix drugs in the tea so that his customer get addicted to tea and become his regular customer”
Now this was turn of the Chaiwala Bhaisahab – “It is not so that all the chaiwala crooked and criminal . Few are bad, undoubtedly, but generally, we people are honest, humble and hardworking sir. Recently I saw a programme on TV. A chaiwala found a three-year-old abandoned child in a park in Lucknow. He brought that child to his home and there he found that the boy is a Muslim. He raised that boy like father that also without changing his religion. All expenditure he did on the child by selling tea only. After eight years when the real parents come to know about the child, they went to court for the custody of the boy but boy refused to go along with real parents. See, Hindu chaiwala raising Muslim boy as a son. Interestingly that chaiwala was an orphan and a Muslim family raised him. There are many chaiwala, who are glorious example of humanity”.
I found his role model story interesting. I searched it on internet just to find out whether this is a real story or fiction. I found the link; no, it is a real story. (Giving the link here for reference http://www.deccanherald.com/content/183277/boy-prefers-hindu-guardian-muslim.html )
By that time, many customers came to his stall. He asked me “Will you drink a cup of tea, sir? It’s really good”
By saying so, he handed me over a cup of tea. I could not say ‘NO’.
