Nura, the Young Juice Vendor
About 15 km before Dehra Dun, while traveling from Paonta Sahib, one comes across two km long undulating stretch with dense growth of tall, straight and leafy Sal trees. The serpentine road through this expanse provides picturesque setting. In the last few years, many enterprising local residents have set fresh juice vends through this stretch, keeping an eye on the nature’s bounty to attract customers.
Recently, on a visit to Dehra Dun from Chandigarh, I approached this enchanting stretch around ten in the morning. The air still had the remnants of early morning freshness. And the rain washed dark green and broad leaves of Sal trees shining in sun rays, appeared mesmerizing. The invigorating air and picturesque settings assisted in mitigating the fatigue of the journey.
The juice vendors were still in the process of setting the things for day’s business. I had not much appetite for juice but stopped close to a young juice vendor to savour the beauty of surroundings. The young boy, in his early teens, was cleaning the hand operated juice extraction machine. He wished me cheerfully and even before I could ask for juice, started peeling the mousamis. Only mousami juice was available.
His name is Nura and belongs to a nearby village situated in the close proximity of Shivaliks and was selling juice for last two years. When I asked about his father, his cheerful face turned somber and replied with a sober tone that his father had died 9 months back. Pouring the juice into the glass mug from the steel container, he further informed that his father had only one kidney since birth. And as the luck would have it, the kidney developed stones.
About two and half years back, in the absence of proper diagnosis and timely treatment, his father’s kidney got damaged. The ailment almost confined him to bed. Since family had no other source of income and Nura being the eldest one among the siblings, the responsibility to support the family fell on his tender shoulders. He left the school after class 7 and started the juice vend.
With the meager resources, Nura’s mother and uncles tried their best to save his father and took him to different hospitals in Dehra Dun for treatment. But he did not survive and died of kidney failure, leaving behind three siblings and wife.
It is heartening to note that Nura is able to support the family with his daily earnings. His younger brothers are also regularly attending school. While finishing my glass of juice, I expressed apprehension about the bleak prospect of his business with the approach of winters. He replied with poise that it was not the case; these days’ people took juice even during winters. After paying for the juice, I took leave of him on this happy note.