My family and I arrived in Delhi in 1980 in search of job opportunities. We hail from the serene hill station Ranikhet, near Nainital in Uttarakhand. We still miss our hometown immensely, and we visit it during the summer breaks of May and June. I have a son who works here at IIT Delhi in Kumaon Hostel. He cannot speak or hear, but he diligently manages his duties in the mess. My younger son works in Gurgaon, and my daughters are married. It's the five of us at home: my two sons, two daughters-in-law, and myself.
My husband started this SBI canteen in IIT Delhi in 1998, so we have been here for more than 25 years, and I have grown to fall in love with this place. The shop used to be situated in the front where the ATM now stands. This shop location is somewhat conspicuous, but since it primarily started as an SBI staff canteen, it needs to be close to the bank. My husband passed away some years back, and I have been taking care of the shop ever since then. When I first started working here, I used to burst into tears, wondering how I would manage everything on my own. Slowly and steadily, I found my place here. All the students here are immensely polite, and the overall environment is cheery.
“Bahut pyaar milta hai, paisa hi sabkuch nahi hota hai.”
My day starts at 5 am, when I wake up and complete my morning chores, bathe and do pooja. I spend around 2 hours listening to bhajans, lost in prayer and devotion to god. I've come to realise that this is one of my favourite parts of the day. Earlier, I used to like listening to songs, but as I've grown older, I've shifted from songs to bhajans, which bring me comfort and peace. I reach campus around 8-8:30 am, with students waiting for their morning tea and sandwiches (read: perfect breakfast :) ). I unpack the milk, sandwiches, patties and everything else and arrange everything neatly. I get these items from a vendor. Amidst the daily tasks, I settle into the rhythm of the day. My busiest shift, but also one of my favourite times of the day, is around 11:30-12 pm when students and professors disperse for their lunch break and come pouring into my snacks shop. Around 2 pm, my elder son comes to help me out after his shift at Kumaon ends. His shift starts very early, at around 6 am in the morning, so I ask him to go home and rest after a while.
The work here doesn't tire me, and if I ever feel overwhelmed, the sweet regulars help me out a bit. Sometimes, when I step away to serve tea to the SBI staff, students even place their sandwiches on the grill themselves. They're very trustworthy and reliable. If I'm busy with another task while making tea, I jokingly ask the students to keep an eye on it. Over time, I have become familiar with the students and have developed a special bond with them. When the tea is still brewing and the students are in a hurry, sometimes I even jokingly scold the older students, saying, "Wait, the tea is still brewing. Slow down!" It never feels like work here; it feels like home. I leave campus to go to my house via metro at around 6 in the evening.
People often tell me to retire because of my age, but I tell them that until my limbs and body support me, I don't mind working here. Interacting with people here brings me joy, and I have fostered many unique connections over the years. I do not like sitting idly at home; I feel sick. Because of this shop, I've placed myself into a nice routine here, and it keeps my body active and healthy. I like to wake up at 5 am every day, even when I'm not working.
Talking about lockdown, it was a very hard time for our family. Both my sons were out of jobs because of it, and our primary source of livelihood, this shop, also had to be closed. However, the bank and IIT officials were immensely helpful to us, emotionally and financially. The officials helped me like a brother helps their sister, and I will never be able to forget their gracious generosity.
Sometimes, old bank employees and students who graduated long ago come back to visit me. If they have some work on campus, they make sure to stop by. It warms my heart to see them prosper and go places. A few weeks back, an old PhD student who became a professor returned to visit me and brought me a saree and a box of sweets. I have lots of students like that. Another student, his name is Shyam, got me a beautiful purse. When he went outside for work, he said, "Ek purse ma ke liya laya hu aur ek aapke liye." It has been many years, but the purse is so precious to me that I have kept it safe in my house and have never used it. It's not about the things; it is about the gestures. I've realised that the real treasure of life lies not in money but in the priceless connections you build with those around you.
Students celebrate my birthday wonderfully here (if you are wondering, it's on 20th January:)). Last time around, they surprised me with a cake, bringing it to the shop, and we had a small cake-cutting ceremony. Some students would often ask about my birthday, but I kept denying it, and they would playfully pretend to be upset when I didn't tell them when it was.
I think of the students here as my children. When people come to this shop, whisked away from the hustle-bustle of daily lives, they often tell me that they find peace (read: sukoon) here. Just yesterday, a student came to the shop, and when I offered him tea, he smiled and replied that he had just come to sit down and rest here. I am profoundly grateful to work here, surrounded by people who love and respect me, and whom I love and cherish in return.
Interviewed by-Anushka Gupta (Journalist) Recorded by-Namisha(Media Technical Editor) Edited By-Sahitya Rankawat(Media Technical Editor)
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