Beggar stories, Diary notes V - Stories of few Women Beggars

Sahjad .B

Sixty-five years old, Sahjad B. is a widow who lost her husband twenty years ago. As her husband was poor, she did not have any money or property to lead a better life. She had responsibilities of looking after her minor children. She started working in others house as maid. When her son came of his age, he would tell her to stop working others house but she continued working. Whatever limited resources she had, she was satisfied with that.  Few years ago, her son died due to heart disease. Her daughter-in-law is weak and always sick. Children are studying in government school. There are seven members in her family but no one is earning member. Children are minor and at this elderly age she cannot work in others house. She has few benevolent relatives who help her in Ramzan month and in any emergency. She feels they cannot help her all the time. She is suffering from blood pressure and stomach related health issues. Her family has PDS card and she is availing the benefits of this scheme. Earlier she was getting old age pension but she is not getting pension from last year. When she asked the reason from officials, they told that her name is not in the list. Why she was removed from the list, she does not know the reason. She feels life is really tough for her and her family. She does not know what to do to ameliorate her condition.

Pittu B.

Seventy years old widow Pittu B had never dreamt in her life that she would have to beg in her advanced age. She has been begging at shamshabad bus stand and around from last three years. She has two daughters and both are married. Their husbands work in Hyderabad city area. She has been abandoned by her daughters. She does not want to talk about her daughters and their husbands. Her health condition is not good, there is swelling in her legs. She does not have any money or anyone who can look after her. She believes God will take care of her. When she was asked – “Do you feel that if you had son, your situation would have been better?” She replied stoically – “My suffering is not about son or daughter. It is all about fate.”

Sharda

Fifty years old widow Sharda lives in the premises of Hanuman temple.  She married to temple priest and lived with him in the temple. Her husband died long back but she continued to live in the temple premises. She has a daughter. Her daughter is married, working in Mall /cinema hall and living with her husband. She does not have any government documents like aadhar card, PDS card etc and she is not the beneficiary of any government scheme .She gets alms from devotee who come temple to worship. Devotees give her food, grains, clothes and money. Every Saturday, she comes to charminar temple to beg and she stays there from 7am to 12 pm. She has been following this routine from long and she would like to continue this until her life. When she was asked – “do you want to quit begging?” she replied – “I am illiterate, I do not have any skill and I am not strong to work now, if I do not beg what will I do? By giving alms people fulfill their religious duty and feel happy.” She has limited needs that get fulfilled by begging.

~~~ Ramanuj Dubey

          
 
 

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

Beggar Stories , Diary notes III - I am not a prostitute, I am just a beggar

M.Lalitha ,narrating her stories

She was begging along with another women beggar nearby the entrance of the temple of the Charminar. When I when went to her, I found her drunk, smell of liquor was emanating from her body and clothes. I tried to talk with another beggar who was appearing a mentally challenged. She did not show any interest to talk with me. Then I tried to talk with her but she was not keen to interact. Meanwhile a Policeman came there and asked the purpose of interaction. I showed him questionnaire and explained about the study. He seemed satisfied with the answer and left.
When policeman left, she asked, -“Will you provide me a bottle of wine?”
“No, I cannot. I do not have money to give you liquor. I am doing a study on beggars. I would like to ask few questions.”
“  You also think me prostitute. I am not a prostitute, I am just a beggar. These police think that I am a dhandhewali, a prostitute. They think I earn a lot from selling my body. You see, I do not have money even to drink.”
I assured her, -“No, I do not think you are a prostitute, you are just a beggar.”
She continued her story, - “My name is M. Lalitha, born in a beggar family and begging since childhood. My father was very protective and never allowed anybody to come near me. He did not let me work in others house fearing that something bad might happen to me. When I was around 18-20 years old, I got married. My husband was a laborer, used to work every day. I also used to work in marriage season in function hall. My life was going smoothly. Suddenly my husband died of some unknown disease. My world collapsed and I mourned for months. Now question was before me that I should I do now. I had no option but to start begging again. If I had not begged, I would have starved to death.
I was listening to her with rapt attention. She looked at me and said, - “see, in such circumstances, I did not sell myself, do you think today I will sell my body?”
“Did not you marry again?”- I asked.
She paused for few seconds then continued, - “I married with an auto driver, but he does not acknowledge our marriage. He does not want to live with me.
“When he does not want to live with you then why did he marry you?”- I wanted to know.
“He did not marry me.”- She replied.
I was perplexed. First, she told me that auto driver married her then she is contradicting her statement.
“Tell me the truth from the beginning, how did you meet and marry him”
“This is the story of few years ago. It was late night and I was going alone in the street. It was dark and the auto driver was standing by the auto. He told me that he would drop me off at my place but he took me isolated place and forced upon me. I resisted but he overpowered me. I threatened him that I would tell everybody about it. He got scared. He promised that he would marry me and took me to his room. There he provided me food, clothes and other necessary items. For two-three weeks, he did not allow me to do any work. He would cook, clean the room and do all the household chores. Latter, He told me to do all the work. Three month passed and I became pregnant. During my pregnancy, he looked after me well. I gave the birth of a boy. During that time, also I did not understand what was going on his mind. One day he along with his friend drank with me. After drinking, he left the house and his friends forcefully had sex with me.  After Two days of this incident, he came and told me to leave the room. When I opposed, he dragged me from the room and threw on the road. He took away my son and left the place forever. He ran away from here leaving me on footpath.”
“Did not you inform about it to police?” – I asked.
“No. Police think that I am a dhandewali. Recently police falsely implicated me in a helmet theft that took place nearby temple. The police detained me for a day, but I was innocent. I made hue and cry, told police that they could not put me behind the bar for doing nothing. Then one senior policewala came and he allowed me to go. This is my story. Will you give me eighty rupees? I want to drink, I cannot live without drink.”
“I do not have money for liquor. Tell me, when did you start drinking?”- I asked her next question.
“ I started drinking at very early age but used to drink occasionally. When I was living with auto driver, he would bring liquor everyday and we would drink together. After losing my son, now I have become addict. I can live without food, without air but not without liquor. I drink three times everyday. Each time I pay eighty rupees to shopkeeper.
I showed my helplessness to her in giving money for liquor.  I had fear that she might not continue interaction but she cooperated and responded all the points of questionnaire.
When I was leaving the charminar, she asked me,-“Do you come this side in night time also?”
“No, but why are you asking this question to me?”
“You can come and see even in night time, I am not a prostitute, I am just a beggar.”- She replied.


~~~ Ramanuj Dubey

Beggar stories, Diary notes II - Chintal The Beggar, The family Man

     
Twenty-two years old Chintal Suresh does not remember when he started begging . When he was a kid, he used to sit on the roadside in Nalgonda district town along with his father, who was a beggar suffering from leprosy. His mother had also health problem, she was also suffering from some chronic disease. The principal activities of his parents were begging. That was their livelihood.

When chintal was six years old, somebody got him admitted in the government primary school. He studied up to IV class, when he was in Vth class, he stopped going to school. When asked, why did he stop going to school? , he replied that he liked the school but did not like the school environment and schoolmates. He did not have any friend in the school and teachers used to beat him if he did not complete the homework. As there was no one in his family who could help him out in study, he dropped studying. After the school, few years again he begged on the street with his parents. Despite of the fact that he was begging since childhood, he did not like begging. He wanted to do some other activities to earn a living. One day he approached to a wall painter who was living nearby and requested him to teach painting so that he could quit begging. He learnt the skills of wall painting from the painter and started working with him. He was earning well and according to his opinion, his life was on right track.

Chintal sharing his story

His happy days were short- lived. Five years ago, he met with an accident. In the night, he was coming from the work , a speeding car run over him. In the accident, he lost his left leg below the knee. He was operated in government hospital and discharged from there when he recovered fully from the injury. His physical disability forced him again to do begging activities .Meanwhile he met with a beggar girl and fall in love with her. Both of them decided to live together in Hyderabad. They left Nalgonda and came here for begging purpose as well as search of any employment opportunity. As they did not get any work, they started begging in Ramkrishna mission area, RTC cross road area. In last five years, he became the father of two children, one boy and one girl. The names of the children are S. Babu and Bujji . All of them are living on roadside, on pavement and their livelihood is nothing but begging.

Chintal with his family

Every month his family earns around 6000-7000 rupees. He does not get any benefits of government run social security and welfare schemes. He has only adhar card as any government documents. He does not have any land or any immovable property. In the name of property, he has few bags, eatable items and one tricycle. He has not purchased that tricycle. It belonged to one old handicapped beggar who died recently. After his death, he acquired his tricycle and other articles. He feels that his comfort and mobility increased because of the tricycle but earning is same as what he used to get earlier.

His aspiration is to raise children in dignified manner and look after family properly. He is concerned about his wife’s safety and wants to be with her all the time. He would like to take up that kind of any job, which would allow him to be his wife all the time. Unfortunately, he has not received such offer so far from any quarter.

~~~ Ramanuj Dubey

Begger Stories, Diary Notes I - How it started

Last year, one of my friends who is research officer in a national institution, was coordinating the research study on “Improvished beggary in India”. One day He discussed the topic with me and asked my views on it. We had healthy discussion on this subject and we had many suggestions to ameliorate the condition of beggar and eradicate the beggary from our country. That night I pondered over many points we discussed and realized that though we were pretending to be expert on this subject but we knew very little about the beggars’ life and their point of view on their problems. I decided to interact, observe, spend some time with beggar to understand them. I requested my friend; if possible make me the part of study. He assured me that he would inform me when field study would start in Hyderabad area and make me the part of the study. This communication took place between us in first week of July, last year. I was enthusiastic about this study and thought to interact with beggars whenever possible. 

I started interacting with beggars every day. Whenever I would go outside, if I was free  and if I would see any beggar at / around bust stand, nearby shopping mall, multiplex, cinema hall, ration shop, temple , mosque, railway station, street , park, under bridge , near metro station, school, college ,university, hotel, restaurant , near cultural centre , historical place ,  monument , I would certainly interact with them. Every day I would interact with at least one beggar. My intention was to know how they see their life, what opinion / views they have about various aspects of life and society. Meanwhile my friend called me for field study on “Improvished beggary in India” in last week of October. We had to take the response of beggars on the questionnaire sheet in the field, and study their conditions .I worked eight days (officially six days) for this study. During the study, I had differences on some issues with my friend and I withdrew myself from the study. I started this exercise in mid July last year and after withdrawing from the study, I continued to interact with beggars whenever I got opportunity. One day in mid November last year, I read in the newspaper that local administrator decided to remove beggars from Hyderabad municipal area. That was the last day I interacted with the beggar. I discontinued which had become the part of routine.


During three months, I interacted with one hundred three (103) beggars. Out of 103 beggars, 72 beggars were male and 31 beggars were female.  64 beggars came Hyderabad from outside. Most of them were from neighboring districts and states. 39 beggars were living in Hyderabad either with family or alone from long and they did not have any other place to go. All 103 beggars had religion, Out of 103 beggars, 68 beggars were Hindu, 29 beggars were Muslim and 6 beggars were Christian. 14 beggars were physically handicapped, 8 beggars were suffering from chronic disease and 3 beggars were mentally handicapped. Out of 103 beggars, 54 beggars were illiterate, 34 beggars were sixth pass and below, 9 beggars were eighth pass , 4 beggars were tenth pass ,one beggar was intermediate and one beggar was graduate . All women beggars were either illiterate or below sixth standard pass. Out of 31 women beggars I had interacted, 24 beggars were widow, 2 beggars were abandoned by husband, 5 beggars were married but their husbands (drunkard/ sick/ physically handicapped/ aged) were unable to look after them.
My interaction with beggars ranged from five minutes to more than two hours. I had two kinds of interactions with beggars during those three months. First one, I would approach to them, would ask about any question and engage them in talk and discuss about issues related to them, listen their reaction and make a mental note of everything. After coming to my place, I would write the experience in my notebook.  Second, one was documenting beggars’ response on questionnaire sheet. Though questionnaire mode has many benefits for study point of view but I observed that many beggars used to be nervous or feel something fishy when their personnel information were documented. Around 12 beggars refused to tell about themselves and did not want to share their story as they had fear that if their particulars were documented and sent to government official, they would be removed from the city and sent back to their place.

Recently I collected the stories and data from all the notes that I had written during the three months period of mid July- mid November 2017. I analyzed the interaction and tried to write only those points, which were not the part of questionnaire of the study. Though these are very simple points but these points helped me to understand beggars' life better. Fair copy of diary notes and analysis of interaction, I am going to publish in my few blog posts.


~~~ Ramanuj Dubey