‘This bicycle is my goddess of wealth’
Photo: Agamir Somoy
When night falls over the narrow streets and alleys of Sapahar town and the clock approaches 11 pm, an elderly man shakes off his fatigue and pedals his way home. He is nearly 60 years old, and his body has grown weak. Yet an enduring smile of contentment remains on his face. For the past two decades, this scene has become one of the most familiar sights in the town. His name is Raghunath Thakur. Affectionately, everyone calls him ‘Thakurdada.’
For this resident of Palpara in Sapahar, his old, rusted bicycle is more than just a means of transportation. It is his only source of livelihood and his sole means of keeping his family going.
The wheels of life and the struggle to afford medical treatment
Raghunath’s life story is not just about hard work and sweat. It is also a quiet struggle driven by responsibility and love.
At home, his wife Anita Devi has been suffering from a complex hormonal disorder for a long time. He needs nearly Tk 7,000 every month to buy her medication. Meanwhile, his younger son is in Class 10, and Raghunath struggles to cover his educational expenses.
His only support in providing for the family is a bicycle. Every morning, he wakes up and loads the bicycle’s carrier with freshly prepared crispy piyajus, hot singaras, tea, biscuits and chips. He then sets out early in search of a livelihood.
‘I hope I can keep going like this until I reach the other side’
Even as age takes its toll and his bones and muscles no longer respond as they once did, Raghunath never stops pedaling. Hoping for a slightly better life and driven by the need to put food on his family’s table, he takes his bicycle out every day.
There is no complaint or resentment on his face. Looking at his old companion with deep affection, Raghunath says, “This bicycle is my Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. My family is able to survive today because of it. It also helps me afford my wife’s medication.”
Even at this stage of his life, he has no desire for personal gains. With a heart full of hope, he makes just one prayer: “I hope I can keep the wheels turning like this until I reach the other side. Please keep me in your prayers.”
