Tea Shop Keeper — Stories from Jhalawar, Rajasthan

The tea shop keeper’s home was among the many brick homes in the village. As we entered his home, many people came out to observe us. I was accompanied by fellow students Karina Callejas, Aiden Balfe, Eddie Wong and translator Khalid Jaleel.

His name is Ashok. He is the husband of Urmila. They are young, beautiful and kind. Urmila was shy throughout the interview and continued to leave the room to tend to their two sons. When asked about how they met, he explained sammelan, an event where a son or daughter are taken by their parents to meet other parents and their children for marriage.
I met her at a sammelan where I was taken by my parents in order to find a bride. I saw her there and I told my parents I wanted to marry her and she wanted to marry me. We weren’t forced into it. We chose one another.
When asked about their hobbies, Urmila chimed in when her husband didn’t say anything.
I don’t have free time. I don’t even keep track of time because I’m so busy taking care of the kids.
When we asked what plans were to come, Urmila smiled bashfully and explained that she plans on opening a general shop.

Ashok carried his son in his arms. He explained that he had two sons and one daughter. She was at school and was not present in the interview unfortunately. His daughter was the focus of the conversation. We were actually seated in her room.

This room is dedicated to her. We try to give her everything she needs to succeed and be happy. She is in class seven and she is doing really well in school. We are hoping she will get a career as a police officer. If she passes the UPSC exam after she completes her schooling, it will raise our status as a family overnight.
Despite all her parents’ concern for her doing well, she reassures them.
We pressure her and always tell her that we want her to do well everyday. She tells us, “Don’t worry about me. I will do well and I will be successful. One day you’ll be in an airplane because of me.”
This house we visited was actually constructed by Ashok’s father. He lived just down the street; it is typical for families to share and live in the same community as the sons work for the father and their respective families.

Ashok took us to his tea shop. It was an open shop next to a highway. As he made us a batch of fresh tea with milk from his own cows, he explained the success of his tea shop.

At first, there weren’t many customers and I began to regret leaving the agriculture or the credit business. But soon enough things began to get better once I started praying to Krishna. I believe that my prayer was answered because soon after the prayers, they constructed a highway by the shop and many people would stop by and get tea. I’ve made enough money to buy a car.
