50 years old, Israel Shah, sits on the footpath of Digha market in his little shop. A son of a mason had studied up to 7^th and dropped out to help his parents. He decided to be a tailor and apprenticed at a tailoring shop. He has been working as a tailor for 25 years, first at a tailoring shop, and then on his own little stall on the pedestrian path at Digha.

Israel Shah says that he earns 400-500 rupees daily depending on the work flow. As a father of four he says, “I am sorry that I could not  give good education to my first three kids.” But now, he uses all his potential to give good education to his youngest son who wants to study B-tech. His two daughters are married. His elder son is a driver,who helps him financially. The elder son also contributes towards his younger brother’s education.

Often when he had no work or gets very less work and wages, he goes to big tailoring shops and asks them for work to earn a little more so that he can fulfill his son’s aspiration to be an engineer. He also added that he does not want his children to be same as him rather wants them to become what they want and change the destiny of the family.

“Those who sit along the footpath and provide services to us. They help us in saving time and money. Big tailoring shops charge more, and usually they do not take up clothes for resizing or alteration etc,” said a customer, “these roadside tailors are very helpful for us. They listen to us carefully, they have no rush and at the minimal rate of just 20-40 rupees they do our work exactly the way we want” the customer added.

Also tailoring, for some, is a family legacy. Ganauhri Rai is a tailor who has learnt this craft since childhood from his grandfather and father, who for the past 60 years had been providing this service. Rai’s children are also tailors, tailoring is their family trade. Rai says “I used to see my father and grandfather stitching and by observing them I learnt to do the craft”. He joined his elders in their work and he started tailoring when he was 15 years old. Now when he is 70, he is still doing the job and his children also do the same work.

Shakil Ahmad, at the age of 75, sits on the footpath at Digha market and runs his sewing machine. It  is not easy, but Shakil Ahmad does not bother about his age and is doing his work and is earning his daily bread. An umbrella is attached to his sewing machine table, thick glasses on his eyes he works from 8 o’ clock in the morning till 7 in the evening.  His daughter is married and his two sons are working as drivers but he works, to support his family but mainly for his own satisfaction. His work not only gives him daily wages rather it gets him happiness and contentment. He mentioned “I want to work till I am able to work because I get satisfaction when I am not dependent on any one for my expenses and help my sons financially”. He learnt the craft at his home town in Bihar Sharif but was not a tailor, earlier he was a mason till the age of 55 and after that a tailor  from past 12 years.

There are many more stories like  these common people who are real heroes in their life. Who do not beg for their living rather do their work proudly and maintain their dignity and earn their living with respect.

Priyanka

[BMC 5th sem, St.Xavier’s college of Mgmt. & Tech.]

  Bihar, development, Patna, tailors