Taxi man

Somen Das alias 'Gabbar' is his name that he told me. He belongs to West Bengal of India. His father was in BSF of Indian Army. He drives a rented battery-operated three-wheeler taxi in the streets of Karol Bagh, Delhi. He lives away from his family. His children are studying and he wants them to work hard and be someone. 

A year back, the taxi man developed some problem in his appendix. He had no money to take care of himself. Like many Indians who don't possess a bank account and even if they do, in the absence of collateral property, loans aren't available to them easily. They all have to take the third route which is expensive. He borrowed from a private lender in his area. He took Rs. 80,000 from him at an exorbitant interest rate. By now, he has paid him Rs. 1.1 Lakh. 

He said confusingly that still some amount is remaining. He said that unless he would pay Rs. 40,000 pending from other lenders as well, he won't return to his native. For the last one year, he hasn't met his family.

The taxi man regrets that he fell in love with a girl he describes beautiful. He ran off from his home to marry her love at the age of 14. His love was 13 by that time. He said that he is of an angry attitude and that their love lasted for 4-5 years and thereafter they started to fight. She left him soon. He said that she is now married to a well off salaried person. But, he still loves her. He even tried to console her to come back. He drew her name in his hands. This was when he drifted away from his studies. He said that her memories pain him and thus he drinks alcohol every day. He was also addicted to marijuana. Now he only takes alcohol. It is hard to go by.

Taxi man sleeps in a doctor's house verandah. The doctor belongs to his home state and he has allowed him to sleep their every night. The verandah has a ceiling fan. He takes bath in a public toilet and eats in a hotel. Like other brethren of his who share rooms and their lives away from their family, he prefers to live alone. 

The 50-55 kg looking Bengali man said to me with a smile, 'dada, achche se padho aur kuchh ban jao, dua hai' (dada, read well and become someone, I wish). He carries a weight of a heavy mustache. He said that if I need him, ask someone about Gabbar at the Gol Chakkar. He is famous by that name in the area