Occupation: Sells ethnic snacks on foot
I came to the city from Tirunelveli in 1975 in search of employment. To eke a living, I started out by selling aval (flattened rice), which I source from Madurai. I travel on foot door to door all the way from my home in Manacaud to Pangode. Realising that selling just aval is not profitable, I started adding kappalandi muttai, murukku, mixture, papadam, pakavada, unniappam, ladoo, thairu mulagu…, which I source from various small scale industry units in the city to my kitty.
My wife, Chelatai, too carries a similar basket of goods and travels from door to door. Our day begins at 10 a.m. after a heavy breakfast and ends when the basket is nearly empty. We both take different routes. As I have been in the business for ages, I am a familiar face at most households and they trust me when I recommend a particular eat. Some place orders of what they want me to bring the next time around.
The snacks that I bring are a boon to most households. Parents stock up on these eats for their children to take to school, while grandparents, who feel their grandchildren are over exposed to processed and junk food try to introduce them to such eats by storing them.
When I approach a new household, I go in saying I have aval to sell. Most start out by buying aval and then when they see the other goodies I have in my basket keep adding to their list of purchase. I do brisk business during the festive seasons as most homes like serving traditional eats during the fete. Although most people are surprised that I travel on foot, I enjoy going on foot to various places in the city as it is good exercise. Lunch is usually at a local eatery. At times, there may be no eateries to dine at and then I do with a few bananas and a glass of lime juice.
The nights are devoted to the soaps on television. While earlier, my family and I would go to the theatre to watch movies, now we don’t as the price of tickets have increased. Besides, why spend money to go to the theatre when there is more than enough choice of movies screened on television. I have six children – four girls and two boys. All the girls are married and are settled in life. Both of my sons run a business, one in Tirunelveli and the other in the city. As I enjoy what I am doing I don’t think I will be stopping it anytime soon. I am 58 and hope to continue what I am doing until I feel it’s time to stop.
(A weekly column on the men and women who make Thiruvananthapuram what it is)
