TIRUCHY: Adversities did not deter Shah Jahan, a 59-year-old street vendor from leading a life of dignity. He firmly believes one can always find ways to overcome obstacles.
Shah Jahan was an autorickshaw driver till his left leg was amputated two decades ago. "I was driving an autorickshaw till 1998, but I faced some blood circulation issue in my left leg and doctors said it had to be amputated. I sold my auto to raise money for the surgery. The money I kept in the house for the surgery was destroyed in a fire accident. With the small savings of my wife and help from relatives, I got the surgery done," he said.
Post-surgery, he started selling lottery tickets in the city. Though my family was worried about our future, I was sure that I would find some job to support my wife and two daughters," he said. Then, the government ban of lotteries pushed him back to square one. "The ban was an inconvenience, but I managed to buy a motorised fish cart. I used to ride it with my prosthetic leg," he said.
Shah Jahan underwent another surgery in 2014, this time on his abdomen. "They performed surgery as I was having stomach issues. All these troubles are a part of life and I have learned to overcome them. After the surgery, I stopped using the motor cart. I then tried selling fancy items on the streets," he said.
He sees the ban on plastic as new opportunity and us selling jute bags.
"A vendor from Rajasthan gave me 300 bags to sell. I sold them and deposited the money in his account. With the profit, I started buying and selling bags on my own. Usually, I sell them in Thillai Nagar on weekdays and Ponmalai on Sundays. Though I am not making a huge profit, I am able to lead a decent life. My daughters are married and I am living comfortably with my grandchildren. Adversities are not the end of life," he said.