"Oye Tik Tik Tik Tik, Oye Oye Tik Tik Tik Tik!"
For many years, this sound has created an excitement and flutter in my heart and made me run out onto my balcony. I could hear it from many blocks away and then wait eagerly hoping that Ishwar would come into our lane today.
Ishwar has been selling Chaat (A sweet and savoury evening snack in India) on his cart from the time I can remember. He would make his trademark sound "Oye Tik Tik Tik Tik" and kids and adults alike would come out of their homes to taste his delicious Bhel Puri, Sev Puri, Nippat Masala, Tomato Masala amongst other delicacies. I never really noticed him but as a child I wondered where he came from, where he lived, how could he make such delicious snacks but never bothered to find out.
Last year, as I started wondering about the Invisible people in my life who have made my life comfortable or enriched my life with something they gave me, I thought of Ishwar. I, ofcourse, didn't know his name then. I once saw him pushing his cart from a slum near our office and moving towards the neighbourhood I lived in. It was a good 4-5 Km distance and I wondered if he ever got tired?
Recently, I found the courage to talk to him and ask him his name and where he lived and opened a whole new world for me. I could see how the years had caught up on his face and body. He looked pale and old and yet I could see his eyes twinkle as he spoke about his life, his family and his children.
I had finally seen Ishwar and all his humaneness.
I saw how much he loved his work and how passionately he continued to work. He remembered my family and had vague recollections of me as a child and he said he would like to keep selling Chaat as long as he could. I asked him why? He said because his customers wanted it. He said many a times, they have come looking for him. Sometimes they call him and ask him when he will be coming to their neighbourhood.
I saw how he had integrated his life's purpose with the people he fed. I sensed pride and love in his work and realized how much his work meant to him and how he had positively impacted the lives of thousands through his food.
He shared with me that he had four sons. Two were married. Two worked as engineers, one was a driver and another one I don't remember. Yet, he worked with pride and love and care on his art and his passion in life - To make delicious snacks and feed them to people. I saw how much people had loved him and his art and his life became complete with it.
I felt loved and grateful when I got to know Ishwar as he was!
For many years, this sound has created an excitement and flutter in my heart and made me run out onto my balcony. I could hear it from many blocks away and then wait eagerly hoping that Ishwar would come into our lane today.
Ishwar has been selling Chaat (A sweet and savoury evening snack in India) on his cart from the time I can remember. He would make his trademark sound "Oye Tik Tik Tik Tik" and kids and adults alike would come out of their homes to taste his delicious Bhel Puri, Sev Puri, Nippat Masala, Tomato Masala amongst other delicacies. I never really noticed him but as a child I wondered where he came from, where he lived, how could he make such delicious snacks but never bothered to find out.
Last year, as I started wondering about the Invisible people in my life who have made my life comfortable or enriched my life with something they gave me, I thought of Ishwar. I, ofcourse, didn't know his name then. I once saw him pushing his cart from a slum near our office and moving towards the neighbourhood I lived in. It was a good 4-5 Km distance and I wondered if he ever got tired?
Recently, I found the courage to talk to him and ask him his name and where he lived and opened a whole new world for me. I could see how the years had caught up on his face and body. He looked pale and old and yet I could see his eyes twinkle as he spoke about his life, his family and his children.
I had finally seen Ishwar and all his humaneness.
I saw how much he loved his work and how passionately he continued to work. He remembered my family and had vague recollections of me as a child and he said he would like to keep selling Chaat as long as he could. I asked him why? He said because his customers wanted it. He said many a times, they have come looking for him. Sometimes they call him and ask him when he will be coming to their neighbourhood.
I saw how he had integrated his life's purpose with the people he fed. I sensed pride and love in his work and realized how much his work meant to him and how he had positively impacted the lives of thousands through his food.
He shared with me that he had four sons. Two were married. Two worked as engineers, one was a driver and another one I don't remember. Yet, he worked with pride and love and care on his art and his passion in life - To make delicious snacks and feed them to people. I saw how much people had loved him and his art and his life became complete with it.
I felt loved and grateful when I got to know Ishwar as he was!
