Samrat Rane uses English, Hindi and Marathi while advertising his incense sticks, standing near Samadevi Galli in Belagavi old city.
He begins by saying he procures them from women self-help groups and physically disabled youth in Belagavi and Maharashtra. He then talks of the benefits of meditation and pooja, beginning to sound philosophical, quoting Lord Buddha and Marathi saints like Tukaram and Namdev. He pauses to explain some spiritual terms in English and Hindi.
“That comes from force of habit. This is how I taught English to students,” says Mr Rane. The visually-impaired former teacher has a post-graduate degree in English from a Maharashtra university.
Samrat Rane, who lost his job as an English teacher, selling agarbattis near Samadevi Galli in Belagavi on Monday.
He urges people to buy the agarbattis (incense sticks) for their quality. “ Andha hoon bolke mat lo ,” he says. (Don’t buy because I am blind).
Samarthanam Trust, an NGO, had employed him to teach English to visually challenged children. But he was laid off during the lockdown.
“I had to pay rent and feed my family. But I could not go back to Maharashtra. I had to look for some means of livelihood here. Some of my friends helped me get in touch with some women and disabled youth who made incense sticks. I became a vendor to make ends meet. Sometimes, people stop to listen to me speak. That makes me happy,” he said.
Pushkar Bumb, a young entrepreneur, says such people need encouragement. “I used to see Mr. Rane everyday while going home and I thought he was just another vendor of goods. One day, when I went to help my friends buy some electronic equipment, we got talking and I learnt of his story. Now, I not only buy from him, but also refer his products to my friends,’’ Mr. Bumb said.
Mr. Rane is not the only one who had to switch professions due to the extended lockdown.
Lagamanna Balur was a foreman in a factory in Udyambag, Belagavi. He was laid off. He spoke to the wholesaler who supplied vegetables to the factory. “He agreed to give me a few bags of vegetable on credit and I began selling them on my bike, door to door,” he said.
A few months later, he rented a shop in Rani Channamma Nagar. He sells vegetables, fruits, milk and sweets.
Sarala Satpute was a journalist with a local Kannada daily, who was also let go during the lockdown. Her husband Sagar Satpute, a weaver, had to sell his loom after suffering heavy losses. The couple rented a place in Janata Chowk in Wadagaon and started providing e-governance services.
“I had to pass the licensing examination to set up a Grahaka Seva Kendra (Common Service Centre) under the digital India project. I help poor people get benefits of central and State government schemes,” says Ms. Satpute. Her Siddarth CSC centre in Teggina Galli has also become a place for weavers of Shahapur and Wadagon to sit and discuss issues.
Ramachandra Chulaki had bought an auto rickshaw after taking a bank loan. He did not get rides for more than a month due to the lockdown.
“I began to see advertisements asking people to wear masks. But I knew that people couldn’t go out and buy masks. So my wife and I began stitching masks at home, with my children helping out. I began riding the auto around the city selling them. When some policemen stopped me, I gave them some masks for free,” he said. Now, he stops his auto, laden with masks, at a busy streets and people come to buy them. “I have divided masks based on age groups, as young people don’t buy masks meant for the old,” he said. On occasions, he has door delivered masks to senior citizens.
