The disappearing red tribe

Less pay, people starting to travel light, ramps and travel friendly bags all have a reason for their dwindling population. A decade or two ago, they were the sultans of stations. They were the go-to guys to know which train would arrive on what platform. “When in doubt, ask the porter” was the unanimous mantra followed by all travelers. Draped in soiled red shirt, a lungi or pant depending on which part of India you are and a towel wrapped around the head as a turban to ease the weight of the luggage, the porter was a very known figure among every traveler. For Rs.20, he would carry your bulging luggage( perhaps moaning about its weight which is almost half the traveler's) from your seat to the taxi or rickshaw stand outside the station. A porter was also the fastest creature in the station . With all that weight on his head, he would still be twice as fast as you and would sneak between people to reach the destination happily waiting for you.

This 5 minutes is quite a challenge. You would have to keep a track of where he is so that you don't lose him or more precisely, your luggage. The deal to fix a price to hire a porter is interesting in itself. He would start off with a quote to which you would instantly disagree and convince him of how the distance is not too long and the luggage isn't that heavy either. Makes me wonder why we need to hire a porter then!! After several rounds of negotiation and him narrating the plight of his family, you finally agree for a price. He wraps the turban on his head, bends a little and places the luggage on his head, hangs one over his shoulder and carries one in his hand. There have been several times when I have felt sorry for the guy, especially when his age looks unsuitable for this job but he has to do it to win bread for his family. The porter is also a very intelligent man. Some say, he can even guess all the items in your bag just by lifting it! That may be too tall a claim , and most of us would tend to disagree. But without him, traveling around the station would have been a hassle.

When you travel in trains these days, you see very few porters around. The ample display boards everywhere tell you which train arrives in what platform and when. Samsonite and the likes have made the phrase “ sliding your luggage” more meaningful than “carrying it”. Ramps have replaced staircases in several stations making our job all the more easier. I am not trying to put the entire red clan in good light. I have heard about theft of luggage by them. Some even get into a bad argument if you don't agree to their price. While these are totally unacceptable, I feel sad for the ones who are good but don't find customers for their living. They are the ones who have decided to carry your weight to carry the burden of their family. All they might earn each day would be close to two hundred rupees. We all fall prey to the exorbitant ask by auto-wallas. Some of us fight back, while some yield. It might be worth giving the red clan a second chance.

So, the next time, whenever you travel, hire a porter and support him. All I ask is for you to “Carry” this thought as you travel.

P.S : This post was not in exchange of a free service by a porter. Except my laptop and my coffee mug, there is no personal affinity with the color red.

Thanks, Sayee