The most important achievement for me is that I’ve been gifted with the talent of making friends. For the last 33 years, I’ve made innumerable friends and acquaintances and not one has gone in vain. Everyone knows the kulfi shop in front of Koshys.
I am humbled when people come to me at bus stops or on buses, recognise me and enquire how I am and tell me they come to my shop.
People introduce themselves and chat with me like we are very old friends. That makes me happy to know that I am part of so many people’s lives and when they see me or think of me they think happy thoughts.
I’ve set up shop here for quite some time. Before that I was in Mumbai for two years and before that I was on Brigade Road in front of Rex Theatre. Hailing from Kollam in Kerala, I moved to the city in 1981 and worked for six months in Rajajinagar. Then I started the business in Brigade Road. Though I sell ice creams and soft drinks as well as softies, the main attraction here is the kulfi. The reason I started this was because I did not have too much interest in the job that time. I did not want to be a slave under someone and wanted to be my own master. That satisfaction is something completely different. Whether I earn less or more, as long as I and my family are happy, that is enough.
I like to live in the present and not worry about my future. But I’ll be here in Bangalore until my children finish their studies. I have two children – a boy in St. Josephs PU and a girl in seventh standard in Stracey Memorial. Everything is in God’s hands. I have a lot of faith in him. My desire is to go back to my home town and settle down there. Let’s see what the future holds.
Bangalore is a beautiful city. I like it here and for me it is better than my native place. But of course, I’ve seen a lot of changes. Earlier, St. Mark’s Road barely had crowds. The only busy hubs were Brigade Road, M.G. Road and Commercial Street. But now all the streets are clogged with traffic and people. Despite all that, I feel happy being part of such a wonderful city.
I am is a weekly column that features men and women who make Bangalore what it is
