Word Dose - Reshma Majithia

Amid the hustle and bustle of Mumbai city stands Tardeo Chaiwala. A young man of 20, with an impish smile, Pradeep is very content being a chaiwala in Mumbai, the city of dreams. Indeed his acceptance of life as it is and fortitude in its face can be a lesson for those who are blessed with much more but can’t rid themselves of their querulous nature.

Pradeep along with his dad (Ramsharan) has been in this business for the past ten years. His day begins at 7.00 am every morning. Passers-by, idlers, busy employees taking a break, watchmen, groups of chatting friends and almost all kinds of people become a part of that stall, and that tea stall a part of their daily lives.

Pradeep started working with his father at the age of 10. He went to a municipal school before that, loved to sing, had won many awards at school for singing and even wanted to become a singer; fate, however, had something else in store for him. He had to give up studying, for even if not impecunious, they were certainly under pressure to make ends meet. Pradeep had two other siblings and his father could not afford to pay for his education. The family had always had to lead a frugal life, bordering on deprivation.

During the rainy season his tea stall is flooded with customers. He works sedulously and still has that grin on his face. When I asked about his passion (singing), he just shrugged his shoulder and said, “I am not educated, but have faith in our munificent God, so I decided to be happy with what I have and keep others happy. I was not very keen on joining my dad’s business but I did not have a choice either. I guess everything happens for a reason - had I not been a chaiwala I would never have met my soulmate.”

People flock to him to absorb the happiness he emits more than the chai that he constantly keeps brewing. With Pradeep what you get served is one cutting chai and one full glass of cheer.