CUTTACK: A 75-year-old man from Sambalpur undertook an arduous 350-km journey, carrying his ailing wife in his trolley rickshaw, to Cuttack where she had to undergo medical treatment.
Braving harsh weather, dust and grime through the long journey, the couple not only reached SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack but also returned the same way they had come — in the trolley rickshaw.
Seventy-five-year-old Babu Lohar’s journey is not merely an account of struggle or impoverishment; it is a story of love. Two loves, to be precise — for Jolley, the nickname of his 70-year-old wife Jyoti, and for the trolley rickshaw that sustains his livelihood.
Against the backdrop of widely reported increases in marital disputes and separations, Babu’s journey from Sambalpur’s Gole Bazar area to SCB Medical College and Hospital stands out as a rare testament to love, commitment and responsibility, drawing parallels with the grit and determination of Dasharath Manjhi, the Mountain Man of India.
Jolley had been suffering from paralysis for the past few months. When treatment at the local hospital failed to show results, Babu decided to take his wife to Cuttack for better medical care about two months ago. With very little money to afford the logistics, the 75-year-old chose not to seek help from anyone and instead resolved to take his wife to ‘Cuttack Bada Daktarkhana’ in his trolley rickshaw, and he did just that.
Prepared for the long haul, Babu carried a blanket, bed, bedsheet and mosquito net in the trolley rickshaw. He would pull the trolley throughout the day and spend nights under shop verandas or beneath trees. Along the way, some kind-hearted people extended help by offering food and money.
Eventually, Babu reached Cuttack and got his wife admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, where she underwent treatment. During the two months of her hospital stay, Babu earned money either by pulling his trolley rickshaw within Cuttack city or by working as a ragpicker, especially collecting bottles across the city.
After about two months of treatment, on January 19, when the doctors discharged Jolley, Babu began the return journey to Sambalpur with his wife in the same trolley rickshaw.
However, the return journey took an unfortunate turn, and that is when Babu’s story came to public attention. An unknown truck hit his trolley near the Gandhi Chhak overbridge in Choudwar, on the outskirts of Cuttack. Babu lost control and the trolley rammed into the road divider, causing Jolley to fall and sustain injuries.
Local residents alerted the 112 helpline. Choudwar police soon arrived and shifted Jolley to a hospital for first aid, following which she was taken to the Tangi Community Health Centre for further treatment.
Despite the stress and agony of the moment, Babu did not abandon or forget his trolley rickshaw. He took the accident-damaged trolley to the community health centre where Jolley was admitted and kept under observation throughout the day.
The next day, after Jolley was discharged, inspector-in-charge of Tangi police station Bikash Sethi visited the couple and offered to book two seats for them in an air-conditioned bus. However, Babu remained adamant about returning home in his trolley rickshaw.
“He said he can never leave two things, the trolley, which is his source of livelihood, and Jolley, who is the love of his life,” Sethi told The New Indian Express. He added that Babu said whenever he felt tired on the journey, he would look at his wife and draw inspiration.
With no other option, the police officer arranged for the trolley to be repaired, as it had been partially damaged in the accident. He also provided the couple with food and financial assistance. “Babu left Tangi CHC with his wife in the trolley on December 20,” Sethi said.