Vegetable vendor, 11th cross, Malleswaram

Five Decades of Selling Vegetables

My name is Bhagyamma, I live in Sheshadripuram. I travel to Malleswaram by auto every day. I have been selling vegetables for the past 50 years, ever since I got married and had my kids. My husband passed away around 30 years ago. I have three children—2 girls and 1 boy—they have kids of their own. One daughter has a vegetable cart just like mine, the other owns a clothing shop. My son is an auto driver.

The Daily Grind

I source my vegetables from K.R. Market. Two to three times a week, I take the morning bus at 5am and walk for a kilometre or so. A coolie helps us carry back the vegetables in a tempo, it costs us around 100 rupees. I have been working here for many years, but the business is struggling, which is why I don't go to the market every day. On most days, we are made to discard what is not sold, and sometimes we give the leftovers to cows. Usually, ½ to 1kg tends to remain.

Managing the expenses is hard. I'm 65 years old, suffer from high blood pressure, sugar levels, and I also have leg pain. Medical expenses come to about four thousand rupees a month, but there isn't much we can do.

Life on the Footpath

I used to work in the inner side of the market, we didn't have a shop, but it used to be on the footpath. They have been building the new market for the last two years. It is part of the corporation; those who had shops first will be given them once the market is built. You need a lot of money to get a shop, which is why they will not give us. I do not want it anyway, I have been here on the footpath for years, this is how I have spent my life. I don't know how long I'll continue this work for—I will till I can.

How the Area Has Changed

Twenty years ago, this area was nothing like it is now. There was a post office next to which they built a school, then a college, and there was the Anjaneyaswamy temple inside—they have improved the area a lot. The market road is also developing. Back then, there was less space, and not as many eateries as there are today. This development is good for the area, but it does not make a difference to us.

What Has Been Lost

It was much better earlier, too many things have changed now. Kids were well-behaved, there was a sense of discipline, no one listens to anybody now. Problems become a huge issue, and people are taken to the police station and beaten up. Even dressing sense has changed—sarees and langas used to be worn often at that time—it is not like that now. Everybody thinks of themselves… Even if somebody is murdered, nobody would care. Only God knows why this has happened.

Still a Good Place

Malleswaram is a good place. You can get everything around the area—Majestic station, different markets, etc—they are all nearby and easy to access. This is why people like it.