Occupation: Sharpens knives
You can talk to me while I sharpen this knife. This is from the meat shop across the road. Being a Saturday, it is at the meat shops that I get more work because they do more business on Sundays and the knives have to be very sharp. On Saturdays, I have more clients at Vallakkadavu, Beemapally and nearby areas.
I have learnt this trade on my own. After all I have been doing this for the last 25 years. I came to the capital city from Thiruthani in Tamil Nadu to earn a living. Initially I was guided by a few friends and now this is my bread and butter. Not just for me, there are over 40 of us from Tamil Nadu who are doing this work in the city. We have taken houses on rent, one each at Kuriathi, Attakulangara and Chala, and I stay at the one at Chala with seven others.
My job starts at 6.30 a.m. and I wind up by 5.30 p.m. There is no prescribed area for any of us. We start together from home and move in different directions. Thrikkannapuram, Peyadu and Vattiyoorkavu are a few areas where I have regular customers, which include both households and shops.
My life revolves around this job. Once I am done with the day’s work I enjoy staying at home. At times I go to see a Tamil movie. I am a Vijay fan, you know? If there are any good Malayalam movies playing in the theatres, I try to watch that if I have time.
Its tough moving around in the hot sun carrying my equipment. I also have to ensure that while sharpening the edges, the particles don’t enter my eye. Thankfully till now I have not had any such mishap. We know by touching the edges whether the knife is sharp enough. I charge Rs. 20 or 30 for a knife, depending on the size. There are days when I get Rs. 300 or more and there are days when I don’t get a single penny.
But I have to stay behind to look after my family. I regret that I haven’t gone to school. I often think I should have studied and earned a good job. I would have been better placed in life. But at the age of 37 there’s no use thinking about that.
Now all I look forward to is going home once in every two months. I stay there for 20 days. I have two children, one boy and a girl from my first wife who passed away. Both of them are settled. I have four children from my second wife. I just want my children to study well and get a decent job.
(A weekly column on men and women who make Thiruvananthapuram what it is)
