Beggar Stories, Diary notes IV- My family does not know I am a beggar

Hasaon Ali

He was, a disabled beggar on crutches, begging at traffic signal near Mehdipatnam mosque.  When I tried to talk and explain the purpose of meeting him, he politely told me –“ye dhandhe ka time hai, abhi bat nahi kar sakta. Lunchtime main bat karta hun. (This is my working hour, I cannot entertain you now. I will talk with you in lunch time)”.
“No issue, I will wait for you” – I replied.
I waited at a small shop nearby traffic signal. He did not make me to wait long. “This time I get more money from the people. They give this hour alms generously”- he revealed to me.
I thanked him for taking recess from begging and being available for conversation.
He started telling about himself – My name is Hasoan Ali. I am not from here. I am from Uttardinshapur, West Bengal. We had few bigha agriculture lands in the village. My father had Attachakki (wheat-grinding machine). All villagers used to come to our house to get wheat grinded. If we were not well off, we were not poor either. I was studying in a school. Like every child, I had also ambition to study well and do something good in the life. Perhaps education was in not in my fate.
“Up to what class did you attend the school? Why did you discontinue study?”- I asked.
“ Every day after coming from school, I used to help my father in wheat-grinding work. At that time, I was in sixth class. One evening accidently, my right leg got into the running belt of machine. My right leg below knee was crushed. Immediately my father took me to hospital and treatment took place for months. The doctor amputated my right leg to save the infection spreading in other parts of body. In my treatment, father had to sell the attachakki. He had to sell agriculture land too to meet the expanse of medical bills. The accident was unfortunate omen for my family; we never recovered from this tragedy. My father had to search for new livelihood and I had to discontinue study. When I fully recovered from the injuries, I started working in bicycle shop. There I learnt the skills of assembling, dissembling and repairing the bicycle .After few years of employment; I got married and became father soon. Now my responsibilities increased, I thought to go other place and earn more. My family was discouraging me to go outside, but I firmly decided to work in any big city. I went to Mumbai and worked in a bicycle shop. There one day, one staff of the shop accused me of theft. I was innocent but he complained about it to manager. Without listening of my side, he slapped me. That day I decided I would leave Mumbai forever and go any other city. I took the loan from few people there and left for the railway station. When I reached railway station, I heard station loudspeaker announcing train departure of Hyderabad in few minutes. That time, on railway platform I decided to go Hyderabad. I took the ticket and sat on the train. When I reached Nampally station, I exhausted all money I had and I knew no one in Hyderabad. As I had nowhere to go, I decided to spend time on railway station. There I met a beggar family on the station, they helped me few days and provided food and other necessary articles. As I used to live with them on station, passenger started me treating as beggar and giving alms. I was earning enough to support myself but I was not happy inside. I had come here to work somewhere but accidently I became a beggar. I did few days bathroom cleaning job but I needed help in lifting water filled bucket and other such works.   One day I approached to railway official and asked for some work.  He helped me getting a security guard job at two-wheeler parking area of Nampally station. I worked there for few years but when the new tender passed for parking area, the new Sahab changed all the staffs. I was jobless again. I searched for new job here and there, but I did not get. I started begging again. Now I became accustomed to it. Earlier I used to feel shame about it but now I accepted that this is my profession.
“What about your family? Are you in touch with them?”- I asked,
“They stay in village in west Bengal .I have a phone. I talk with them regularly. I have not told them that I am beggar. They think that I work somewhere. Every month I am able to save 5000-6000 thousand rupees from begging. I deposit that amount to my wife’s bank account. Children are studying in government school. Elder daughter is married.
“Do you want to quit begging?” – I was eager to see what he says.
“I do want to quit begging, but where will I get a job. Everyday around eight-ten hours I stand on crutches, then I get 7000-8000 thousand rupees. If I get any work, I will have less stress on my body. People said, if you have government documents, you would have job easily. I applied for aadhar card and physical handicapped certificate and got it but I am not getting job anywhere. But I cannot beg all my life. At present, no one is earning member except me. My children are studying now, when they will have any livelihood I leave Hyderabad for good and live with my family. That time, if I have enough money or get a loan from any one, I may start a Kirana shop there or start a cycle, stove, cooker repair shop.

~~~ Ramanuj Dubey