How would you imagine life at 90 to be like? Content? Regretful? Lived a full life? Well, for Devin Kharsyntiew, who will turn 90 in October this year, there’s not another way to be other than selling and delivering newspapers to his patrons. A familiar face in the crowds, Kharsyntiew has been selling newspapers in Shillong since 1964.
Recounting his days when he began working, Kharsyntiew details “I would travel on foot to various localities like Laban, Nongthymmai and Madanrting to sell newspapers, which at the time were very few – U Pyrta Riewlum, The Shillong Times, Amrita Bazar Patrika, and Nongsaiń Hima.”
Describing a typical day in Kharsyntiew’s life, he shares, “I start each day by waking up at 3 am, make my tea and start off to work on foot by 4 am. Through the day I’m in Motphran at my counter with other vendors. I usually wind up my daily business by 4-5 pm and then I return home and go to bed by 8:30 pm.”
61 years of relentless service, and Kharsyntiew is governed by discipline of waking and sleeping times.
Outlining a clear picture of the times when he first started out and the present, Kharsyntiew talks about the struggles of logistics which are much easier now. He says, “In the early 60s, I had to collect my wares from the respective printing presses except for Amrita Bazar Patrika which I would collect from Police Bazar (now Khyndailad). It was only in 1968 that I started selling newspapers at Motphran by sitting on the roadside and in 1979 I opened a box-type counter. Later another paper, Sentinel provided me with a counter with the name of various dailies which now included The Telegraph. As of now, all the newspapers arrive at 5:00- 5:30 am at Motphran and from this place it is distributed all over the city of Shillong and also dispatched to the rural areas.”
On asking him about his motivation to work in this field for so many decades of his life, Kharsyntiew says, “Well, I have been doing it for so many years and that it is the only job that I know how to do. Moreover, the regimentation of my daily life keeps me fit – physically and mentally.”
The oldest newspaper vendor in the city attributes his lifestyle and habits for his agility. He insists that he always walks and almost never uses public transport.
Discussing work, Kharsyntiew reveals details about his daily deliverables and meeting his targets. “In a day I sell between 150 -200 copies in the English and vernacular languages with the highest grossing demands for The Shillong Times and U Nongsaiń Hima. I meet my daily requirements but nothing is certain in this business because one has to work hard to make a good sale” he says.
He was also asked if he has a personal favourite among the newspapers today, he said that he goes by his customers’ preferences which are The Shillong Times and U Nongsaiń Hima.
Urging him on what he likes the most about his work, he answers, “I’ll admit that I love my job. When I started, I was compelled to do it because I did not have any education and I met this gentleman who worked in a press and suggested that I should start selling newspapers as there were very few vendors in this business. So I did. I was offered only two paise per newspaper as commission at a time when the price of each newspaper had been 15 paise! In one day, I sold about 200 newspapers from each news publishing house.”
Kharsyntiew also lays emphasis on the human connections he rests his faith in. He says, “I love my job because I get the chance to meet and greet many personalities and let me tell you that after selling my goods to people who go for morning walks and those who are early birds, I, then subsequently deliver newspapers house to house beginning with the Mawkhar area and then to Jaiaw and concluding at Mawlai. Many people know me as Bahrit which shows how fond my customers are of me.”
On some of notable persons that he’s delivered newspapers to, Kharsyntiew says “In the earlier days the personalities I would sell to, were BB Lyngdoh and DD Pugh. Today, there are too many of them.” (He laughs)
Communicating about the shift in news consumption, Kharsyntiew observes, “There is a sea change in the reading habits from then and now. Even though news is easily accessible on the internet, people still prefer the hardcopy version of the daily news. Further, customers buy numerous dailies of the newspapers and not just one single paper. The demand is quite high at times that I never get to take leaves, not even on Sundays!”
It’s true. Kharsyntiew does not have days off from work. Primarily, because for him, work is his way of life. However, that has not deterred Kharsyntiew from enjoying blissful times with his family. He has children and grandchildren and considers himself fortunate to live a life that is worth talking about and telling the world about it. His dream for them is to live honest lives and earn their living through sheer hard work and discipline.
Kharsyntiew embodies a value system worth emulating especially for the youth of today, who at times find themselves lost. In fact, Kharsyntiew articulates words of wisdom, by saying “I wish to convey to the youth that they must ensure that they are qualified academically, maintain healthy habits and avoid any company that influences you wrongly with ‘bad’ habits. This is the only way that one can ensure that they become good citizens and future role models for the next generation to follow.”
For his abiding spirit and devotion, Kharsyntiew has been felicitated and awarded accordingly by many notable societies, organisations and institutions. Kharsyntiew’s soft yet awe-inspiring personality concretises our belief in the strength of virtues and age-old principles.
(Interview originally conducted in Khasi and translated by Aldous Mawlong)
– Esha Chaudhuri