This is my Second post in the series “Look Around and Everybody is an Entrepreneur!!”
The first one was on how the people seeking money in the name of Shanni Maharaj show their Entrepreneurial Skills.
However this one is of a person I know from past 15 years. To know more Read on and Listen along too
“Bhalle Papree lelo-O”
This is one those Hauls which I have been listening almost every afternoon for the past 15 years. (Of-course whenever I am at Home)
And I am not alone…… More than 50000 Inhabitants of Rajouri Garden, New Delhi are my companions in this.
This is the Story of “Vaid Ram Moti Lal” Also known as Lallu to his family.
As soon as he said… people call me Lallu…. He was also quick to point out that in Delhi Lallu Means a Silly man….. But in his home State Uttar Pradesh Lallu is a “Love Word” which is addressed to kids whom you love, which is derived from Word “Lalla” which is further derived from word “Laadla” which means the Pampered one.
While reading the name, if you thought that VAID means an Ayurvedic Doctor…. Then you are right… he is one…… but somehow Medical practice didn’t work for him.
Like even his passion for Music didn’t pay him anything!!
He hails from Mathura, the Birth Place of Lord Krishna where we used to play Harmonium, Tabla and also sing Bhajans of Lord Krishna and songs of Bulle Shah!!
More on that after some time……
Now how does a Vaid and a Musician Find his place in a Series written about Entrepreneurs.
This is How…..
Lallu jee could not pursue his Profession (Vaid) and Passion (Music) in his hometown and having a family to feed came down to Delhi in search of Employment which could fetch him and his family his daily bread.
Sadly even after 4 months of running around…he was not able to get any job. It was then that his Wife advised that he should start something of his own.
It was one of those days…. That one of the ailing neighbour approached him for some medicine and he made his first money in Delhi. In order to celebrate that earning he made Dahi Bhalla and Paapri at home for his 2 sons and three daughters and it was relished by all.
Noticing this, his Wife suggested him to make more of them every day and sell them on a cart. Something that he did
Every day he would make some Dahi Bhalla Paapri and sit on a pavement in Jahangir Puri, Delhi to sell them.
Though everyone who tried it relished it, but still his tokri was never completely sold out.
And he then realised that the people who live in this area have low paying capacity and also that this area is less inhabited.
So, with some of his earnings he bought a Cycle and started riding to nearby developed colonies to sell his stuff.
This worked and every day he came back with an Empty tokri and filled Pockets.
It was then decided to make more of these and also go around selling it in different localities on different days.
And this is how he has been able to Earn Respect, Earn money and has been able to give quality education to his children and also marry them off. All of them are well settled.
Now, he sells his stuff only occasionally in Rajouri Garden and that too because he has a personal Bond with this place and with many residents over here and this is his way to spread happiness and meet people whom he had been serving for years.
So, after this Entrepreneurial Story we talked about music again and he told me he used to sing and play with Ravinder Jain who later went on to become a famous Music Director and also composed Music for more than 100 movies like Geet Gaata Chal, Chor Machaye Shor and his main claim to fame was being music Director for Indian Epic Serial Ramayan on TV.
They would Sing Bhajans in Mandirs across Mathura, Aligarh and Vrindavan and had a great time.
And listening to all this, I was not able to resist requesting him to sing a few lines for us. He Obliged not with one but 2 Different songs and the Glow on his face while singing it was Extra ordinary.
Leaving you with 2 short Music Videos of a Minute each.
If you love MUSIC, You shall relish it, If you don’t, then probably will get an idea of it’s Pure form.
And yes, Everybody is an Entrepreneur, In his or her own way.