Delhiwale: Portrait of a life

Rickshaw puller Faheem is awaiting customers on a roadside in Central Delhi

Rickshaw puller Faheem is awaiting customers on a roadside in Central Delhi. This afternoon, he agrees to take part in our Proust Questionnaire series, in which citizens are nudged to make “Parisian parlour confessions”, all to explore our distinct experiences.

Rickshaw puller Faheem is awaiting customers on a roadside in Central Delhi. (HT Photo)

The principal aspect of your personality.

I have no Aadhaar card, no ID card, no mobile phone. All were stolen. I only have this wristwatch, which a kabadi wala gave me for 20 rupees some weeks ago. And I have been pulling this rickshaw for three years. These are the main things about me. I arrived in Delhi three years ago, leaving my bahu (wife) in the town. I have one son, but when I left he was too young to have a name. These are also the main things about me. My home is in UP, Badaun, kasba Sahaswan. Thana is also Sahaswan, tehsil is also Sahaswan.

Your favourite qualities in a man.

He should not drink daru. He should live with his family. Look at me. I should have stayed at home. Eating ghar ki dal-roti daily. Bathing daily. Wearing clean clothes.

Your main fault.

Living in Delhi. If I die in this city, nobody here will bother about my body. Another fault at present is that I haven’t got myself shaved for some days.

If not yourself, who would you be?

In my childhood I had seen a movie in which Mithun Chakravarty played a commando. I wanted to be a commando.

Where would you like to live?

I live in this rickshaw.

How do you wish to die?

Never thought about that. But I have often thought of selling my kidney to get good money. Once I asked a shopkeeper in Gandhi Market how to go about it. He said I would first have to show my ID to the doctor, which I don’t have. He also said that no doctor would agree to my request anyway. And what will I do with the money from my kidney?

What is your present state of mind?

I try not to think. Thinking fills me with tension. But right now I am thinking of daru.