Old man sells banana leaves near Bindu Sagar, Bhubaneswar even at 45 degree C, watch
Bhubaneswar: An old man has been selling banana leaves by the side of the famous holy tank Bindu Sagar in Bhubaneswar of Odisha for the last 35 years. However, the matter which bothered us is, this old man has been witnessed selling banana leaves at the same place amid the ongoing heat wave condition in Odisha.
Mercury is soaring and for the last few days the capital city of Odisha has been registering temperature at around 41 to 45 degree Celsius. The government has issued notice that labourers should not be assigned with any physical work that needs to be performed directly under the sunlight in between 11 am to 3 pm.
However, this old man has no other option but to run this small business of banana leaves for a living. His name is Surendra. His ordeal can make any one sad and emotional. Yet, he is doing his work to earn the livelihood.
If you will go to Bindu Sagar area, the famous holy pond near Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar, you can see that there is a small Lord Shiva temple by the side of the pond. You can see an old man sitting near the temple to sell banana leaves. Recently Raja, the press reporter of Kalinga TV Digital visited his shop and interacted with him.
Heat wave condition has prevailed in Odisha in these days and the State is boiling. Even there is no respite for the capital city. Bhubaneswar has been registering temperature in between 40 to 45 degree Celsius for the last few days. The MeT Department has also predicted that mercury will soar even more in May. However, the old man is still sitting at his regular place and selling banana leaves.
One can see an old bicycle parked near the Bindu Sagar. A wretched plastic polythene cut piece has been wrapped on the bicycle. Two small stones have been put on it so that the polythene does not fly away.
On the other side is an umbrella. And under its shed the old man has set. A few banana leaves have been kept in his front. The concrete road on which he is sitting is also hot. Yet, he has spread something on it and sitting there. He has kept a water bottle and is spraying water from this bottle on his head in regular interval. More than that we can see that one of his eyes is visually impaired.
Upon talking to him it was learnt that the old man is selling banana leaves there for the last 35 years. In his early years, one piece of banana leaf was costing 50 paisa which has now become Rs 3 to 4.
According to him earlier there were less people but selling was good. Now, turnout is more but as now things have become costlier, the net profit is less as compared to earlier days.
Besides, the old man has two daughters who have already reached marriageable age. Yet, the old man is not rich enough to solemnize their marriage. In nutshell, hunger is more painful for him than the heat wave. And hence this scorching sunlight and soaring temperature is not a bigger problem for him, he lamented. He says, life is still beautiful.
Watch the video here:
