Jhumpura: The tea shop of Dukhia Bhai at the daily vegetable market is well known to people in Jhumpura area of Keonjhar district. He has been successfully running his tea stall for over 20 years now.
The middle-aged man is the darling of his customers in the vegetable market. His real name is Dukhabandhu Barik. For the last few years, his elder son Bideshi Barik has been helping him in running his small business.
His daily customers start arriving at his shop from 5 in the morning and the rush continues till 11 am. Then, the shop reopens at 4pm and Dukhia continues serving tea till 8 pm.
He has weathered many a storm in his life before hitting success in this business. Earlier, he used to work in a hotel.
Life dealt a huge blow to him when his wife passed away at a time when his seven-month-old son needed her most. He managed to lead his life with much difficulty, bringing up three kids. “Life goes through ups and downs. I toiled in a hotel from day to night but could not find time to look after the children. I have not deprived my kids of education in government schools,” he says.
Poverty was the main hurdle for him to study when he was a boy. But, he has been able to educate two sons – Bideshi and Nirmal. Despite his meagre earnings, he has married off his only daughter. His younger son is working in a ration shop in local bazaar. After kids grew up and started earning, he got a little respite.
PNN
