Occupation: Knife vendor
Would you like a knife? All these are handmade. I have paring knives, cleavers, trimming knives... I also have sickles. I suggest you pick up a paring knife. It is a versatile knife that can be used for peeling and chopping fruits and vegetables. They come in either stainless steel or carbon steel. I have knives starting from Rs. 50
See this? This is a tamarind pip remover. It is Rs. 5. See how it looks like the head of a screwdriver at the end. Be careful, the edges are sharp. There is a demand for the tamarind pip remover as it is tamarind season right now. By the way, my brother makes all of these knives and the tamarind pip removers at his residence at Balaramapuram. He gets the raw materials needed to make the knives such as steel and wood from Kattakada. I sell the finished goods here at Chala market. I have been selling knives at this very spot for 25 years and know every one here. On days, when business is dull, we gather and gossip. But I generally mind my own business and leave when the day is done.
My day begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 8 p.m. I travel by bus. I usually pack lunch from home. On good days, I make around Rs. 1,000 selling these knives. When I first started out, there were many takers for homemade knives. Nowadays, people prefer commercially made knives. But I am lucky as I am the only one selling knives on this street. People often stop out of curiosity and tend to pick one up.
I usually take Fridays off and spend it with my family. I usually run errands and do chores on that day. I do relax occasionally in front of the television. I have two children. The eldest has just completed his bachelor’s degree from University College and the younger is in class eight. The other vendors like to tease me saying I have two wives and am actually a millionaire.
I was born in Nemom. My father was a daily wage labourer. He made barely enough to clothe and feed us. Although I would have liked to have studied further, I had to drop out after class five due to financial reasons. What would I have liked to be? I don’t know. As you can see, I am physically handicapped. What can a physically handicapped person who comes from a financially poor background become? I don’t dream. Dreams are for fools.
By God’s grace I managed to earn and save enough to buy a five cent plot in Nemom. I also managed to build a house although I am currently repaying the bank loan. As I was brought up on meagre earnings, that is how I continue to live. I don’t waste money on watching movies in theatres, smoking or drinking. I buy clothes only if it’s absolutely necessary, even for my family. I try not to eat out even if I haven’t packed lunch. I am extremely tight-fisted. But then how else am I supposed to make ends meet for my family? My eldest is physically disabled like me. Although he has completed his bachelor’s degree, finding a good job might prove fruitless. I am 45 years old and need to see my children settled in life before I retire.
(A weekly column on men and women who make Thiruvananthapuram what it is)
