Travellers Stream

Every day, without fail, I see this BBMP worker cleaning the road near my place.

She arrives early, picks up a broom almost as tall as her, and begins sweeping—dust, leaves, yesterday’s leftovers—things most of us don’t even notice unless they inconvenience us.

What astonishes me isn’t the work itself.
It’s her.

She comes dressed with care.
A neatly draped saree.
Pink shoes that quietly stand out against the grey road.
Fresh flowers tucked into her hair.

There’s dignity in the way she shows up.

She knows exactly what her day will look like. She knows the weight of the broom she will lift again and again. And yet, she doesn’t arrive looking defeated or careless. She arrives prepared, almost celebratory, as if saying: This is my work, and I will do it well.

And she looks… happy. Or at least, at peace. 😊

That’s the part that lingers with me. 🌿

Here we are—many of us with education, choices, comforts, options—and we complain endlessly. About our jobs, our bosses, our pay, our timing, our lives. We complain even before the day has begun.

And here is this woman, doing one of the most physically demanding, least acknowledged jobs in the city, greeting her work with grace and self-respect.

It makes me pause.

Maybe dignity doesn’t come from the kind of work we do, but from how we do it.
Maybe happiness isn’t always about ambition or upward movement, but about acceptance and pride.
Maybe we underestimate the power of showing up neatly, sincerely, wholeheartedly—no matter the role.

Watching her, I feel humbled.

Not because her job is “lesser”—but because her attitude is greater.

And I find myself asking quietly, honestly:

What are we really complaining about?

🙏