Sabyasachi Sarangi's photos
Dear, meet this wonderful mumbaikar.
Qualities of an Exemplary Human being.......Must read
Exact Narration by an auto-rickshaw passenger,
Suvendu Roy of Titan Industries, who shares his inspirational encounter with a rickshaw driver in Mumbai:
One Sunday, my wife, kid, and I had to travel to Andheri from Bandra. When I waved at a passing auto rickshaw, little did I expect that this ride would be any different...
I looked in front and there was a small TV. The driver had put on the Doordarshan channel.
My wife and I looked at each other with disbelief and amusement. In front of me was a small first-aid box with cotton, dettol and some medicines.
This was enough for me to realize that I was in a special vehicle.
Then I looked round again, and discovered more - there was a radio, fire extinguisher, wall clock, calendar, and pictures and symbols of all faiths
- from Islam and Christianity to Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism.
There were also pictures of the heroes of 26/11- Kamte, Salaskar, Karkare and Unnikrishnan.
I realized that not only my vehicle, but also my driver was special.
I started chatting with him and the initial sense of ridicule and disbelief gradually diminished.
I gathered that he had been driving an auto rickshaw for the past 8-9 years; he had lost his job when his employer's plastic company was shut down.
He had two school-going children, and he drove from 8 in the morning till 10 at night.
No break unless he was unwell. "Sahab, ghar mein baith ke T.V dekh kar kya faida? Do paisa income karega toh future mein kaam aayega."
We realized that we had come across a man who represents Mumbai – the spirit of work, the spirit of travel and the spirit of excelling in life.
I asked him whether he does anything else as I figured that he did not have too much spare time.
He said that he goes to an old age home for women in Andheri once a week or whenever he has some extra income, where he donates tooth brushes, toothpastes, soap, hair oil, and other items of daily use.
He pointed out to a painted message below the meter that read: "25 per cent discount on metered fare for the handicapped.
Free rides for blind passengers up to Rs. 50.
My wife and I were struck with awe. The man was a HERO!
A hero who deserves all our respect!!!
Our journey came to an end;
45 minutes of a lesson in humility, selflessness, and of a hero-worshiping Mumbai, my temporary home.
We disembarked, and all I could do was
to pay him a tip that would hardly cover a
free ride for a blind man.
I hope, one day, you too have a chance to meet Mr Sandeep Bachhe in his auto rickshaw: MH-02-Z-8508.
Be a Reason for Million Smiles…. But Never be a reason for even a single Grudge…..
Qualities of an Exemplary Human being.......Must read
Exact Narration by an auto-rickshaw passenger,
Suvendu Roy of Titan Industries, who shares his inspirational encounter with a rickshaw driver in Mumbai:
One Sunday, my wife, kid, and I had to travel to Andheri from Bandra. When I waved at a passing auto rickshaw, little did I expect that this ride would be any different...
I looked in front and there was a small TV. The driver had put on the Doordarshan channel.
My wife and I looked at each other with disbelief and amusement. In front of me was a small first-aid box with cotton, dettol and some medicines.
This was enough for me to realize that I was in a special vehicle.
Then I looked round again, and discovered more - there was a radio, fire extinguisher, wall clock, calendar, and pictures and symbols of all faiths
- from Islam and Christianity to Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism.
There were also pictures of the heroes of 26/11- Kamte, Salaskar, Karkare and Unnikrishnan.
I realized that not only my vehicle, but also my driver was special.
I started chatting with him and the initial sense of ridicule and disbelief gradually diminished.
I gathered that he had been driving an auto rickshaw for the past 8-9 years; he had lost his job when his employer's plastic company was shut down.
He had two school-going children, and he drove from 8 in the morning till 10 at night.
No break unless he was unwell. "Sahab, ghar mein baith ke T.V dekh kar kya faida? Do paisa income karega toh future mein kaam aayega."
We realized that we had come across a man who represents Mumbai – the spirit of work, the spirit of travel and the spirit of excelling in life.
I asked him whether he does anything else as I figured that he did not have too much spare time.
He said that he goes to an old age home for women in Andheri once a week or whenever he has some extra income, where he donates tooth brushes, toothpastes, soap, hair oil, and other items of daily use.
He pointed out to a painted message below the meter that read: "25 per cent discount on metered fare for the handicapped.
Free rides for blind passengers up to Rs. 50.
My wife and I were struck with awe. The man was a HERO!
A hero who deserves all our respect!!!
Our journey came to an end;
45 minutes of a lesson in humility, selflessness, and of a hero-worshiping Mumbai, my temporary home.
We disembarked, and all I could do was
to pay him a tip that would hardly cover a
free ride for a blind man.
I hope, one day, you too have a chance to meet Mr Sandeep Bachhe in his auto rickshaw: MH-02-Z-8508.
Be a Reason for Million Smiles…. But Never be a reason for even a single Grudge…..
The Above Photo and write up are credited to Mr Sabyasachi Sarangi and Suvendu Roy of Titan Industries.
Mr Sabyasachi Sarangi Graciously allowed me to reproduce it for my blog as i wanted to share this inspiring story with my fellow bloggers. This should be shining India. Helping each other should be how we operate and live in this world. Where our very existence makes life easier for everyone else. In India especially the differently able ( Handicapped) find it hard and every day existence is a daunting task. In this melee of upheaval and limitations imposed by a lack of facilities and overflowing populous. There is a man who is helping as much as he can. It stands to question. Have We are people of little or more means done anything??? Let alone as much as we can. Complaints come easy to us. Fighting is second nature. But being Grateful for what we have and helping our fellow man comes very hard. In a place which overflows with population. People that are able are treated with disdain and abruptness. We don't have time to help our own people let alone someone else. Animals are mostly there to torment as we walk by. Hit or throw stones at. What we don't understand or are familiar with being foreign to us is treated badly. I love animals perhaps even more so than most people I know. Anyone who knows me knows this about me. Hating the way the so called bottom of the barrel or the lowest of the low are treated. Will write more about this and its tangent stories later. Rite now just wanting to leave you my reader with this inspiring story and hoping to make you think about doing your part in Helping and Caring.
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