Life has different ways and means of teaching you a lesson.And for me this time its came from a chaiwala whom I have befriended in this alien island of Port Blair. Its become a daily routine to have tea at his stall since the day I discovered this chaiwala at the clock tower, a prominent landmark in the Aberdeen bazaar here. Its a small inconspicuous stall at a very prominent location. The place is most frequented by the traffic policemen who are stationed there and dont mind a tea to keep their spirits high and keep them tuned to their tough job.
The first time I was introduced to the shop by my good friend, Dr.Rajeev, I was hardly impressed by it.But the moment I tasted the vadas,which had an alcohol like addictive taste to it, my opinion changed.Just the right taste and no dripping oil in the preparation and it requires a really strong will to save oneself from stopping at eating just one. Me and my friend are yet to succeed in that effort till now.
A couple of visits and the chaiwala started recognising me and besides the tasty wadas and hot tea there was always a happy smile greeting me.Unfortunately, I am not the first to make the move in most conversations and so it was the chaiwala who broke the ice in my next visit.As usual the talk started with the question of what do i do. And once I blurted that I was a doctor, his smile travelled from ear to ear and the predictable question of how I landed up in this island was followed by my well rehearsed answer.Reciprocating the gesture, I asked how long had he been doing the job.He didnt exactly remember the years but said it was more than 25 years since he got into it. And then he said with his warm smile, if all become doctors and engineers who will be left to cater to the basic need of food and hunger. More than what he said it was the fact that he was doing his job with pride and dedication which attracted me. He told that his daily chore begins at 3 am grinding the batter for the vadas and the hot idlis for the early morning breakfast. The day continues with the serving of hundreds of cups of tea and coffee, rejuvinating the people of Port Blair to get back to their work. He has been following the same routine with no regrets and has mastered the art of handing every cup with a smile on his face although he has no perishable paper degree to certify his expertise in hotel management.
Many flock the shop for his tasty delicacies but what is different is that there is no accounting of the vadas you eat or the number of cups of tea you gulp down. He just serves you his preparation with a smile. In fact, you can just pick up what yours taste buds demand and as many as you like. He trusts the customer on his word and charges only for what the customer says.But no one cheats, all pay........thats the reward his trust and dedication brings, I guess. There is a strong bond this guy shares with a panwala and another associate of his, who run the shop as a trio.The Ambani brothers have a lot to learn from these guys because they reveal a simple trick to make the business tick - friendship and trust- two words which dont knock at the Ambani house.
My first cup of tea and coffee was complimentary from him but since then it has been more for his smile and hospitality and the inspiration for working with dedication and happiness which draws me to my favourite chaiwala. I think it this spirit which trickles into his vada and tea, and brings all and sundry in this small island to the clock tower to taste it, at least once a day. His conversations with every visitor are no more than a few routine questions about the well being, but they lift up my spirits enough to make me move into the next day with a wish to emulate this chaiwala in my job, as I deal with the sick people who flock my OPD.Surely, this chailwala is no slumdog..........and serves more than just tea and vadas!
