Babu was a young boy staying in a picturesque, remote village high up in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh in India, with his parents and younger siblings, Raju and his sister Manju. His house was surrounded by many fruit-bearing trees, including apples and pomegranates, which thrived in the cool climes.
Being in the mountains, the temperatures during summertime were quite bearable compared to the lower plains while it got a bit cold during the winters.
It was a happy life for Babu without a care in the world. His parents took care of everything, from food to shelter and clothing. He just had to go to the nearby village school every morning. In the evening, he would play with his friends. He loved to play a variety of sports such as cricket, football, and badminton.
Everything was hunky-dory. It was the best time in his life. During the weekend, he would go for a swim in the village pond, situated near the temple. Raju enjoyed swimming with his father. It held a lot of sweet memories.
Babu’s father worked on a farm and was paid daily wages. It helped his family survive and enjoy the bare necessities of life. For Babu’s last birthday, his father presented him with a bicycle. He would cycle to school, taking his younger brother in the front and his sister in the back.
Babu’s mother was a homemaker. She looked after the family well and kept the home neat and tidy. Her daughter Manju would assist her after returning home from school.
One day, his world fell apart. His father did not wake up as usual in the morning. His mother kept calling out to him, shaking him in bed. Babu and his siblings were crying. The bitter truth dawned on them. They had lost their father in his sleep.
The village doctor was summoned. Alas, it was too late. He had suffered a massive heart attack during the night.
Being the eldest in the family, Babu had no other option but to drop out of school and take up his dad’s farming job. His daily wages supported his family. But the needs of his family kept increasing.
The village elders suggested that he should go to the city where he could earn a lot more during the day and study at night. So one fine morning, Babu took the train and travelled to Mumbai, the city of dreams.
For the first few days, he slept on a bench on the railway platform. There was a school near the railway station which Babu would visit daily. Someone offered him a job to sell peppermints outside the school gate and share with him half of his daily earnings. Babu readily agreed since he liked children. He was impressed by the big school building and hundreds of children going to school, early in the morning. His thoughts went back to the good old days when he was a normal boy, going to school like these children.
He thought to himself, “I wish I could turn back the clock and bring the wheels of time to a stop.”
Since Babu was a young boy, the school-going children used to buy peppermints from him, thereby helping him earn some money which he would send back home to his parents. He developed friendships with several of these school-going children. He would share his story with them of how he landed in Mumbai and missed his family back home.
One of the school children’s father was a film producer. Seeing Babu’s plight, he got him a small role in a Bollywood movie to help him earn some extra pocket money.
Babu was happy to perform the role of serving tea to the film’s leading star. He got the shot right in the first take. The producer and director were very happy with his work and positive attitude. They offered him more roles. Babu got to meet and work with some leading Bollywood actors. He was very happy.
Meanwhile, he continued to sell peppermints during the day and attend a municipal school in the late evening. He chased his dream to continue schooling.
Slowly, the boy got more roles in the film industry as an extra. He gradually stopped selling peppermints. He had turned from a peppermint boy to a performing artiste.
Seeing that Babu was a young boy, there were many people to help and guide him. One spot boy trained him about his work and recommended him to other television and film production houses. Soon, Babu was earning well.
A couple of years passed by. During this time, Babu finished his schooling with flying colours. He was keen on continuing his studies and got himself enrolled in a Science college. There were some seats reserved for the backward classes and Babu was lucky to be selected. The college principal had waived his fees and wished him well. Babu was very thankful to him and was determined to become a civil engineer.
Meanwhile, Babu was able to rent a chawl. He had not gone home ever since he came to Mumbai and was keen on getting his mother and other siblings to Mumbai.
He finally managed to arrange a visit for his family to Mumbai during the Diwali vacation. It was a big family celebration for him. He took his mother and other siblings around Mumbai. They were happy to see the Gateway of India. They enjoyed seeing the lions and penguins in the Jijamata Udyan (Byculla zoo).
Babu’s mother particularly enjoyed strolling on Juhu Beach and enjoying her favourite panipuri. Babu, Raju, and Manju remembered their good old childhood days and enjoyed a dip in the sea.
They were also happy to greet the Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan on the occasion of Diwali in his Juhu bungalow, along with hundreds of his fans.
It was also a lucky Diwali for him. His friends in Mumbai were able to arrange admission to a school for his younger siblings Raju and Manju. His mother also found plenty of work as a domestic help in nearby homes.
Today, Babu is a successful civil engineer. He is happy to live his dreams.