‘Let’s hire a Bengali’ is one of the oft-repeated phrases when there aren’t enough people to field a cricket team or for a task for which local people are unlikely to volunteer. It is an admission of how migrant workers, of which Bengalis are a considerable lot, dominate the labour scene in the State.
Now, Souvik Mallick, a 19-year-old from Chandipur in Purbh Burdwan district of West Bengal, has entered an uncharted terrain, dressing up as Santa Claus for the carol visit of a family unit of the Thevakkal parish of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.
“Originally, a local resident was supposed to don the role of Santa Claus, but he backed out at the last minute. That’s when a family unit member Tinson Tomy, a contractor, came up with the idea of asking someone from his pool of migrant workers,” said Sherry Thomas, president of the family unit.
Mr. Tomy broached the matter with Souvik who had joined his elder brother Sisir Mallick here only a year ago. “We mostly take contract of constructing homes and he (Souvik) has always been very friendly with the families. So, when I told him about visiting homes as Santa Claus, he readily agreed,” said Mr. Tomy.
YouTube to the aid
There was a minor hiccup, though. Having no previous experience of being part of a carol team, Souvik had to be taught a few Santa steps. “We showed him a few YouTube videos of carol. He was told that just a few jigs would suffice,” said Mr. Thomas.
After the initial jitters, Souvik turned out to be a natural. His carol team visited 24 households over two days. “He is looking forward to play Santa again,” said Mr. Tomy. Though Souvik’s family has four acres of land under vegetable cultivation, it hardly earns them enough. The high daily wage in Kerala, about ₹1,000, as compared to the ₹300 back home, is what lured Souvik and his brother here.
Published - December 24, 2022 07:22 pm IST
