I came to Bombay when I was 13 years old. My father and brother had already been working here for several years. Yes, I was studying there. I was in 7th standard at that time. No one asked me if I wanted to study or come to Bombay. I just had to do it. I did not know the reason for it at that time. Today I know my life is all about survival.
My life changed forever after I came to Bombay. I don’t know if it changed for the better or the worse. I know that this is how my life is always going to be. Always. So I don’t think about such things.
I have been working here as a “ghaati” for 24 years now. I live with four other ghaatis. Of course, we have our fair share of fights. But we all know that we have to live together. So we patch up quickly too. I go home once or twice a year. I earn approximately 20,000 Rs a month. The amount keeps varying so that is only a rough figure. I am able to send home 10 – 12,000 Rs each month.
I was only 18 when I experienced another turning point in my life. I went home as usual at the same time that year too. Mobile phones did not exist back then. So my family members back home and I could not talk to each other over the phone. I was looking forward to spending time with my family and friends. I missed them and thought of them every day.
But I was in for a shock. I was told that I had to get married the very next day! Yes, I was the groom but even I did not know I was getting married. The girl, now my wife, is my Mama’s daughter. My Mama was very sick and wanted to get his daughter married soon. So they had arranged our marriage without bothering to take my consent. In fact, all the arrangements had already been made.
Of course, I was angry. I told my parents I was not keen on getting married now. But no one listened to me. They said everything was arranged. I wanted to argue with them. But I couldn’t. I don’t know why. Maybe it was because they had spent quite a lot of money on the arrangements. I don’t know.
All I know is that I had no choice in the matter. I got married. I had known this girl from my childhood. So that was not a problem. We have two daughters. My elder daughter cannot walk properly.
My wife pays for my elder daughter’s medical treatment, buys her medicines and pays for my younger daughter’s tuition fees with the money I send home each month. She makes beedis in her free time. She also works on the farms of some or the other farmer whenever they have a requirement for farmhands like her. She makes around 2000 – 3000 Rs in a month.
Yes, my family can live in comfort now because I am able to earn a decent income in Bombay. In fact, my father, brother and I have our own small houses in our village now. That is the only solace I get for all my hard work.
I wake up at 7 or 8 a.m. and report for work at 10 a.m. I work nonstop in several houses till 5 p.m. I buy some vegetables or provisions on my way home. After I go home I have to cook and clean up the room in which I live too. I wash my clothes, have lunch late in the evenings and then take a nap for a couple of hours. I then report for work at 8.30 pm and return home at 11 p.m.
I get very exhausted by then. I sleep like a log every day. All days are the same for me. Some of the people I work for are good but not all people are the same, No? I just do my work. I am here to earn money. So I don’t talk much with anyone. That works for me. Very well. I do my work. I get money for it. Period. Nothing else matters all that much to me now.
Yes, I do get two off days in a month. The 5th and the 20th of each month. All ghatis have an off day on these two days. We go out for a movie or to Church gate, Marine Drive or to Chowpatty. It’s fine. It’s a break from our monotonous life and we do have fun. But the void in my life can never be filled with such superficial pleasures…
I feel good when I go home. I love my daughters, my wife and my other family members a lot. I don’t feel like coming back to Bombay when I go there. But I have to. No?
No, I don’t have any dreams or ambitions in life. What is the use of having dreams? I can’t chase them, can I? “Agar mai sapne ke peeche bhagoonga – to mera ghar kaise chalega?” I have no time for such frivolous things like dreams!
No, I don’t know what will happen to me when I become old. As long as my limbs are in working order I can feed my family. My daughter will grow up, get married and go away. Then I can save more money if I continue working. Yes, we have a house of our own now but I cannot feed my family with the meagre income that we get in our village.
Right now I don’t have any savings. I wiped out all my savings when we constructed our house. I spend almost 1.5 lakhs on my elder daughter’s medical treatment recently. So I will have to start saving again.
Who knows what will happen to me when I become old? I have not thought that far ahead. Right now, this is how I live my life. We are able to live in comfort because I earn well here. I don’t know what sacrifice means. And I don’t know if my sacrifices will be worth my while in future. I do not have the luxury of thinking about such things. I am working to my full capacity here. What more can I do? What’s the point in thinking about such things then? “Tab ka Tab sochega. Abhi to mujhe kaam karna hai. Bus. Mai utna hi jaanta hu!”
I watch him quietly and try to find the right words to pacify him. But Naresh walks out silently – with agility and dignity ……without a backward glance……