Day 131-133-Our Gondola, The Trishaw

This is a trishaw, aka the gondola of Singapore. It's predecessor is a rickshaw, which is hand pulled.Invented in the late 19th century by the Japanese, the Chinese imported the rickshaws from them and in turn exported them to India when they started trading.

Some say Kolkata is the last city on earth to still use enormous Chinese-style rickshaws pulled by men on foot. An attempt to ban this rickshaw in 2006 was met with such fierce protest by irate wallahs (rickshaw pullers) that today, at least 18000 of them are still pulling these heavy rickshaws for a living.

My Hassan was one such wallah. A poor man, Hassan had travelled to the city from his village to look for a job. With little employment opportunities, pulling a rickshaw was the natural choice. It was after all, the first job for most peasants migrating to the city.

Now Hassan may have little education but he is no simpleton. He reads widely and is extremely creative. It was in 1900 that Hassan saw a tricycle for the first time in his life. This was the year The English Cycle Importing Company of 23 Broadway, Madras, started selling bicycles and tricycles from Rover, Raleigh, Singer (you thought they only do sewing machines? Different Singer) and many others.

It didn't take Hassan long to put two and one (wheels, that is) together and voila, the "tri-shaw" was born.

You can see how Hassan's "tri-shaw", (years to come, it will be more popularly known as the "cycle rickshaw" in India), is much improved over the wooden wheeled hand pulled rickshaw which weigh a ton, even when empty. It is also more dignified for the wallah to be providing his service by riding side by side his passenger rather than pulling from beneath.

Now if you are wondering why our dear wallah parked his trishaw in a handicapped lot, that is not a "handicap person" sign! It is a vintage drawing of a passenger in a rickshaw, as Hassan will have you know.

And here he is now, pre-dawn, making sure no constables are around.

After carefully placing a beautiful rug weaved by his loving wife in the trishaw, Hassan is ready to set off to meet his 1st customer for the day.

Ooh, that unruly beard (made with real doll's hair). If only Hassan spends half as much time grooming as he spends on his trishaw, he will be quite a handsome devil. Not that he cares.

Here is Hassan making a u-turn

Stopping 10 minutes later to check on his trishaw.

New Under-Cover and Blue Silk Seat- checked

Freshly painted motifs-checked

Trimmings up,

Trimmings down, checked, checked!

Adverts, huh, you said. If you think about it, what better media to place an advertisement than on the back of a travelling vehicle? That's exactly what clever Hassan thought and he managed to persuade his 1st patron too by offering free service for a month.

But what Hassan is most proud of is the silver bell he made for his ride . "Inspired" by the "the Peerless Bells" when he chanced upon the design, he had memorised the details and faithfully reverse engineered his own.

If you click through the picture, you will see where the design can be found.And specially for you Rosanna, there is something there you are bound to like.

TODAY is Hassan's lucky day! A really beautiful woman has just finished marketing and was standing at the corner, with her baskets on the floor, looking a little flustered.

Have you been waiting for me, my fair lady? Hassan said.
Now, let me help you with your burden while you step up to my carriage.
The fair lady smiled and settled comfortably.

Now which way, my lady?
The other way, sir, but the sign says "One Way" only?
Don't worry, my fair lady, signs don't mean anything here.
The lady laughed.

And so they ride and chatted and laughed some more and when the trishaw hit a bump, Hassan put up his hand to prevent the lady from falling over. The lady was completely charmed.

You are a perfect gentlemen. By the way, my name is Suri.
And I am Hassan. But don't you go fancying me now, I am a happily married man.
And I am a perfectly happy housewife.
But if you have a daughter, my son will marry her. I send most of my money home so our son can have a proper education and become someone useful.
And if your son is as diligent, clever and chivalrous as you are, my daughter will marry him.
Hassan let out such a hearty laugh, half the town can hear him booming.

They were so engrossed in their conversation that Hassan just noticed he had taken a wrong turn. O my, this must be the Street with Too Many Signs, Hassan remarked confusedly, whereupon both of them erupted into laughter again.

20 years later

And here is Hassan junior with Suri d/o (daughter of) Suri. The "street" with too many signs has since been converted into a park. Hassan is now a teacher and the newly weds are visiting the spot where their betrothal was first discussed. Laughing frequently as they recounted to each other, for the 100th time, the conversations their parents had.

Are they not a spitting image of their respective parent?

Cycle rickshaws in Dhaka, today.

PS On the day I posted about Venice, dear sweet MarG gave me the trishaw shown at pic 3 above as a thank-you for borrowing a teeny part of my bazaar scene for a secret project. I don't know anything about the secret of course, but this post and everything made for it, is done in tribute to her project and to all the wallahs in the world.

And if you have guessed that my Hassan and Suri were made after much hacking and sawing the dolls in the last pic, you are right. Don't worry, Hassan Junior and Suri d/o Suri are still in 1 piece.