Sutta & Chai Ft. Swiggy Delivery Men

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When I pursued a diploma in journalism from The Asian College Of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, I got the chance to meet people from different walks of life. If you knew me or met me during my ACJ days, you would know that I absolutely loved reporting. 

Meeting new people, and talking with them about things just thrills me. We used to go with a few questions in mind and would end up hearing stories for hours. Yes, that's how reporting works. It was a beautiful experience for a person like me, who loves to talk with people. 

I have gone to fishermen's quarters on the loop road in Chennai, toured around Adyar sitting behind a Swiggy delivery woman, waited from dawn to dusk at the super scary Erwadi dargah, met Sri Lankan refugees, and the list goes on and on. Reporting almost every second day, made me realize how beautiful Journalism is, and how fortunate I was to get such a chance. Journalism humbles you. It shapes you in ways unknown. 

Being on the roads with a Swiggy delivery woman in Chennai to watch them have a gala time in Bombay, has a lot changed? 

Some of these experiences teach you a lot about life. When I was the pillion rider sitting with a Swiggy delivery Akka, I got the chance to get a sneak peak into her life. Recently, after having a great meetuo with my girls from work, I was in a cab and it halted at the Warden Road signal. At around 9:30 PM, I saw a bunch of Swiggy delivery boys standing next to a modest tea shop and just having a great time by themselves. 

This is not the first time I noticed something like this. I've seen delivery guys standing together during lunch hours, or post-work and just talking, clowning around. I was amused at first, but later I started admiring it. Indians bonding over food is no new thing, but hey, isn't this cool? 

The traffic signals were about to turn green, and within those seconds I went 'click click.' This picture is beautiful because it portrays men who work in not-so-appreciating positions, just standing together and discussing work issues with a chai and sutta! Doesn't young India thrive on this!? Delivery boys dominate the roads and are out and about, whizzing through the streets of this city of dreams for hours together. This image stood as a representation of community building, the strength of the working class of Mumbai, and much more. 

The next time I spot them, I'm sure before frantically searching for my phone to capture an image, I will smile at a few, observe their body language to study more, know more, and probably eavesdrop into their conversations too, because why not! 

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