HYDERABAD: Would you rescue someone who has jumped into Hussainsagar to die by suicide and give them a new lease of life? Would you dive in with no inhibitions to collect the partially decomposed bodies of those departed? You most likely wouldn’t, even if you were the most talented swimmer on the block.
But Shiva — he most certainly would. Over the last 25 years, he has dauntlessly rescued 129 people from dying by suicide and collected around 10,000 dead bodies from Hussainsagar.
This great soul, christened ‘Tank Bund Shiva’ for his noble service, graced the TEDxHyderabad stage at Shilpakala Vedika, telling over 1,000 awestruck people about his life. He spoke exclusively to CE about his journey, trials, tribulations, and dreams.
Excerpts
How was your experience speaking at TEDxHyderabad?
I’ve been collecting bodies and rescuing people from dying by suicide for 25 years now. While I have received much praise from people, I have never spoken at such an event before. In fact, I would always see the rich and famous speak at such events on TV. So, I was a little nervous before going on stage but when people told me that they had attended TEDx just to hear me speak, I was so happy. I felt that I got izzat (respect) on the TEDx stage.
Could you please tell us about your journey?
As a child, I was in an anath ashram (orphanage). One day, when I was on my way to school, I saw some people performing certain acts in a religious procession. There was chaos all around and I ran away in fear, losing my way. I reached Chaderghat and started living on the footpath. While I was there, I met a boy a little older than I was — Mahendra was around 14. We became brothers and I would call his mother Malleshwar ‘amma’. Once, a little child was drowning in a lake and Mahendra bhaiya, who knew how to swim, jumped in to save him. Unfortunately, both of them drowned. Amma was utterly distraught, wailing, ‘I have no one now’. But I assured her that although one son had passed away, she had another who was always going to be there for her, come what may. It was then that I decided that though I couldn’t save bhaiya, I would save everyone else.
Was there any defining moment in your selfless service?
Of all the people I’ve saved from dying by suicide, I have only met three again. They were grateful and said that I gave them a new lease of life. I recall that one of them was a young mother who I had saved in 2013. She was perhaps 25 at the time and had two children. Family troubles had pushed her to the extreme step and she jumped into Hussainsagar. I dived in to save her and that’s when an iron road inside the water pierced my chest. I removed it and rescued her. A year later, she met me. I couldn’t recognise her but she touched my feet and said, ‘Anna, thank you, you saved me’. I felt so happy and satisfied.
What challenges have you faced in your journey?
Because I collect dead bodies, people see me in a certain way…as someone from the ‘khabristan’ (graveyard). So, when I’d attend weddings or functions, people would ask those with me, ‘Why did you bring him along?’ My heart would sink but I never put up a fight and would instead walk away quietly. But I will say this — I do not care. Let the water be dirty, let there be insects, let there be decomposed bodies. I will continue to do what I do because it comes from the heart.
What is your message to everyone?
Every single person should know how to swim. In fact, I have a goal to make a large swimming pool in Hyderabad. I will train people — it doesn’t matter who they are, whether they are rich or poor — to swim and rescue people. Even if I die, I want to make 10 other Shivas who will go out there and serve others.
Were you ever afraid to do what you do?
I’ve never felt afraid that I would die. I believe my parents birthed me to wipe the tears off others’ faces. I know that one day I will die too but for today, I believe each of these people I save are like my own mother, brother, and sister.