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Sitting 35 years on a footpath with little paraphernalia to earn living and happiness
Pak Chronicle Report
Rawalpindi
As they say lust knows no boundaries and being happy or contented is entirely different thing and it’s a blessing greater than riches.
Happiness is not about achieving hefty goals in life as it may also be achieved while sitting on footpath for 35 years of life and selling discarded wristwatches, displaying some gemstones having petty worth and telling people about their fortune by reading their palms.
Sixty years Muhammad Azam has spent more than 35 years on same place at the footpath of Murree Road, near Marir Hassan Square where due to some plantation birds are in abundance and they may be viewed being fed by some passerby with bajra.
When Azam had occupied place at footpath with his showcase, entire area used to present deserted look. He is witnessed as how markets developed in front of his eyes but he never thought to switch to some other profession to make better living.
During these 35 years, he got married, raised five children and built a home for his family. This footpath is almost everything for him. It’s his workplace, his showroom and entertainment as well. Footpaths have their own history and they also create account and one needs observant eyes to record it.
They’re close to someone who got the addiction of walking on them in today’s busy life. They are also permanently encroached by mafia but Adam got a respect for this place. He is a man who is just sitting on two square feet of area and seeing the world being changed in front of his eyes.
At 9 o’clock in morning he arrives at this place with his commodities and a little signboard and leaves it before sunset. This is the life which he had opted and he continues to live it happily.
“All my three daughters are married and elder son is making his own living these days. What else I may desire as I have also been blessed with house and a lot more other things,” he said when interviewed by the website.
His paraphernalia includes wristwatches of 70’s and 80’s and most of them are out of order. They are antiques now and he demands reasonable price for them. However, there are fewer customers for them. He also got some antique coins besides offering some finger rings with inexpensive stones in them.
He is palmist as well besides having command on ilm-e-ramal or geomancy. He got the things for poor class of the society which can enjoy his services against payment of negligible sum.
Basically he sells hopes and makes his living out of it. However, he does not promise anything which is a trait of his character. He generally sits on his feet, head buried between his knees. Unlike others of same profession, he does not attract attention of public by inviting them as hawkers do. Passerby themselves look into his stuff and inquire about the price of some item and if it seems okay then deal is struck. Most of the times he goes unnoticed but he does not care about it as he already got what one may desire.
“Happiness is not goal, it’s a byproduct of a life well lived,” Eleanor Roosevelt.
Ends
