He is 18, enthusiastic and ever smiling. Dashrath Kumar, true to his pet name “Sunny”, has a cheerful disposition. Everyday from 8.30 am till 5 pm, Dashrath makes and serves tangy-sweet mosambi juice to customers. “I am from Uttar Pradesh. My family lives there,” says Dashrath.
Dashrath has just completed high school in his village and has come to the city to make a living. “I have been in Bangalore for two years. I am awaiting my results as of now.” When asked if he plans to attend college, Dashrath laughs and says: “Of course I do! I plan to work in an office. I don’t plan to be an mosambi juice vendor for the rest of my life.” But he enjoys his work, and the fact that he runs his own stall at such a young age. “I enjoy it. I find nothing wrong with being a young boy and working. I earn my own money. Badiya hain! (it’s great)” he smiles.
Dashrath learned the art of preparing mosambi juice from his friends in his village. What made him travel all the way from Uttar Pradesh to Bangalore? “Yes, I spent some time in Delhi. But Bangalore is lovely. The weather, the people. I like everything about it,” he says while he slices through the fruit, cuts it into four halves and skilfully skins the fruit before extracting the juice. He points to the place where he has set up his stall, under a tree. “I like this space in particular,” he says.
Sunny knows a spattering of Kannada. “Just enough to get me by,” he says. The money he earns isn’t too much, but it is good enough to take care of all his needs in Bangalore. “I even manage to send money home.”
Dashrath poses for a picture spontaneously. “I hope this write up on me will help me to get more business,” he says, and then flashes a charming smile!
