India is Interesting

October 24th. 2008. Its been almost 1 complete year to me after which I was returning back to INDIA from New York. I have been counting days right from the month of July in which I have booked my tickets to go to India. On the final day I boarded in the flight and reached India. On my journey to India, there has been several incidences which I found very very interesting. Some of the incidents have really left there prints in my head. Some of them is while coming back to New York after my vacation.

When coming back, my dad and mom decided to come to Mumbai with me to see off me. We took the train from Bhusawal (a small town in India where I am born and brought up) to Mumbai. As the train reached Mumbai CST station, several porters (coolies) came and asked us whether we need their service. We were having 3 big luggage bags and one small hand bag. My dad asked one of the porter how much will he charge to pick all this up. The coolie said Rs 60/- (almost $1.25). Dad bargained with him a little. The coolie said "saaheb, boni ka time hai jada nahi lege aapse" and finally the deal was made at Rs 40/- ($0.80). I was wondering how will the single person pick all the luggage when it was difficult for we three to carry (my parents and me). But the porter started putting the luggage bags on his head and the hand bag on the shoulder and started walking. Its not that I have not seen this type of scene before. I was familiar with all these things as I belong to India. But this time there was a difference. There were several questions which has started coming to my mind.

That coolie started talking with was on they way out and finally tooks us out of the station. He also helped us in getting a taxi. I gave him Rs 50/-. He was returning me Rs 10/- just when I said him "rakh lo... (keep the change)". I asked his name and he told its Vitthal Patil. He was happy to get the tip (giving tip is not very common in India). Vitthal raised a lots of questions for me. With Rs 50/- which I gave him, he will be hardly able to manage food for himself for a day. And if he has a family of 4 then he would have to carry luggage at least 10 such times in a day (for their food and other expenses). What kind of life is he leaving when he is not able to add any quality to it?

I always use to have complains about my job, the work that I was doing, the disappointments when the appraisals were less etc. But looking at Vitthal, I realized that its not my job which is tough but it is Vitthal's job of carrying the luggage of the passangers on the head for the whole day and just getting few rupees in return. It would have been more frustrating for him when he was not able to little wishes of his family, buy gifts for them during festivals. No ones job is easy but thinks twice before you complain about your work. And the most important thing in life is to be happy with all what you have.