Occupation: Sweet corn vendor
Normally, I sell apples, oranges, grapes, and guava, but what really clicked for me was selling sweet corn, sweet potato, ground nut and many other seasonal items. I source the corn from brokers in Bangalore myself. The sacks of corn arrive on long distance buses. It is a costly affair to buy and transport it. For instance, a sack of corn costs Rs. 700. Add to it the labour charge of Rs. 150 and transportation charge of Rs. 300. Nonetheless, it has proved to be a profitable venture. I have now been selling corn for the past 15 years.
The season for corn lasts for three to four months and the present season will get over in a week or so. Currently, one kilogram of corn is priced between Rs. 60 and Rs. 80 - or one for Rs. 10. Sweet potato is priced Rs. 30 per kilogram.
If you ask me why I started selling corn, it was because there has always been a huge demand for it. I have many regular customers because there aren’t many places where you get it. Most people steam the corn kernels. The ripe corns can also be grilled on an open flame. Add a smear of lime juice and a bit of salt and it makes for a really tasty, healthy snack.
In Chala market, there are vendors who do brisk wholesale business. I too get my share of clients, which include people from all sections of the society.
I keep my push cart at the Power House Road entrance of the Central Railway Station and thus I get a lot of regular customers, especially during the evenings. They keep me busy right up to 6.30 p.m. or 7 p.m. After that I shift my cart underneath a streetlight on the other side of the road, because the station entrance doesn’t have enough lighting.
I started my business along this road much before this entrance was opened. That was a time when you used to get a dozen oranges for Rs. 5 or 6 and one kilogram apple for Rs. 10 or 15. Now, oranges cost Rs. 40 upwards and apples are priced Rs. 160. There was a time when a corn was priced just 50 paisa.
Earlier I used to walk around the city pushing my cart. I stopped when it became difficult for me to cover the distance on foot. Now, my day starts with a darshan at Attukal Temple and then I open for business here at 10 a.m. I close by 9 p.m. and I work on all days.
You might have seen Sathyan’s Odayil Ninnu , right? In the movie, he toils hard as a rickshaw puller to feed his child. Just like that, it is this push cart that has given me whatever I have now. I am 60 and am quite happy that I could marry off my two daughters with my earnings from this business. I now lead a peaceful life with my wife, Lalitha, at Rajaji Nagar, Chengalchoola.
(A weekly column on men and women who make Thiruvananthapuram what it is)
