While the entire city celebrated Deepavali, it is easy to forget those whose services made these comforts possible. U Tejonmayam, Sharadha Narayanan and Susanna Myrtle Lazarus take a peek at the lives of those who chose to work through the day, so that you and your family could have a brighter, more colourful, tastier and safer DeepavaliSP Tamilarasan, TailorTailor SP Tamilarasan (27) of West Velachery is one those men, whose services are required throughout the year but are more in demand during festival season. He has been working for Yes Sir Men’s Park tailor shop at Adambakkam for the past two years and in this profession for close to a decade. He claimed he spent more than half a day in the tailor shop on Deepavali as customers kept coming in to make purchases. “We usually work at least for three nights at a stretch, close to the festival day, to finish all the work. Some people even come on the day of Deepavali to get their stitched clothes. My family is understanding and though I go home late, I burst some crackers with them.” Ilavarasan, MTC DriverWhen Ilavarasan (43) of Mudichur decided to work on Deepavali, he ensured that he left his family fully stocked to celebrate the festival, as he would end up going home late. “This is one way of doing public service and this is our responsibility. Of course, we do get wages but we do not want public to suffer just because we go on leave. I have two children and I am happy they understand,” Ilavarasan said.S Gunasekaran, Leading FiremanThe thing he missed the most was the nombu. “On a festival day, we are on duty to help others celebrate safely. Even though the women-folk at home get quite annoyed that we are never around on important days to celebrate with the family,” he says.Manoharan, Ambulance DriverManoharan (45) of Greams Road says he has no leave, working as an ambulance driver for a private hospital. He began his day at 7am on Deepavali day and went on till 7 pm. “This is a constant job and I have no leave,” he says. He has been working as an ambulance driver for many years and said his service is more required on days like Deepavali, when there is a risk of fire accidents, compared to an ordinary day. “It’s better to stay at work than be at home,” he quips. “I have seen accident cases on festival days. Those are days when my work is needed and it is my duty. My family is another side of my life and it goes on,” he adds. Jayanth, Petrol Bunk EmployeeDeepavali is very important for my children and they had a holiday, but as my day off was not on that day, I had to work. Our job is important, and even though I missed the celebration in the morning, I was happy that I got home in time to burst crackers with my family.Saran Kumar, Electrical Maintenance OfficerI was working the previous night and due to certain circumstances, I had to continue the shift throughout Deepavali. I missed all the sweets and festive food. I ended up seeing fluorescent lights instead of the sparkling Deepavali lights.J Balakumaran, TNPCBAs a field assistant of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, he is in proximity to some of the most elaborate firework arrangements in the city, but seldom does he celebrate it. His job of 15 years requires him to annually monitor the noise and air pollution level on the festive occasion. “On Deepavali day, I work an 8-hour shift monitoring the celebrations in progress in five of the city’s most busy areas: Nungambakkam, Ayanavaram, Sowcarpet, Triplicane and T Nagar. This is a long-drawn process and preparations for this occasion start many days earlier with the checking of locations, readying high-volume samplers and other equipment,” he explains. “We do not stop with checking the pollution levels. We ask people to not use very high-decibel crackers, and I tell my family that I have to work for a larger cause: for a safer environment.” He takes it in his stride and simply says, ‘There is a lot of work to do.’M Sarathkumar,FiremanHaving to eat hotel food on Deepavali day when everyone at home was having a feast, was the saddest part. Not only do we miss family, but they also miss us. As I am the oldest in the family, they felt bad that I was not able to spend the day with them, but they also understand that it is my duty.S Soundarrajan, FiremanI was born on a Deepavali day, so the festival is very special to my family. This year, since I was on duty, no one at home had any sort of celebration. Everyone enjoys the special day, and for their safe celebration, ‘we’ give up these joys. Girish Kumar, Courtyard by MarriottIt takes a good deal of selflessness to make others’ meals memorable, without missing a festive occasion in their own family. But that is what Chef Girish Kumar, Executive Chef, Courtyard by Mariott, has been doing every Deepavali now, for more than eight years. “We know the entire city celebrates on this day. Though there are guests at hotels, we still know that Deepavali keeps most people at home with their families, and footfalls in restaurants are much lesser. It is, in fact, one of the festivals that doesn’t keep hoteliers busy. And yet, we need to brace ourselves to serve a one-of-its-kind meal to those who do visit us that day,” he explains.Dr Joy Varghese, Global HospitalsFor Dr Joy Varghese, consultant hepatologist of Global Hospitals, Deepavali was never a holiday. “When there is no concept of a Sunday for me, how can I expect to be off on a festival?” reasons the specialist, who was on-call this Deepavali too. “In the morning, I had to visit patients in the ICU and attend to pre-fixed appointments. Later, I was on-call and received an emergency case of Ascites, or fluid collection in the peritoneal cavity,” he reasons, adding that he has not enjoyed a full-festival holiday for the 15 years that he has been practising medicine. This Deepavali, his work has been kind to him as there have been previous occasions when he has attended cases till the night.Dhanasekar, MTC DriverMTC bus driver Dhanasekar (46) of Tambaram, a veteran of 20 years, worked on Deepavali day just because he preferred it to staying at home. For him, the thought of the public suffering because of the absence of bus drivers on a festival day mattered more than his own family’s appeal to spend a day with them. “I’d rather come to work than help my wife in the kitchen,” he quips. But working on a festival day has its own advantages, he claims. “There will be less road traffic on festival days and it would be easy for us to drive through. Also, we get wages and a compensatory off,” he says. He drove the M18C route on Wednesday from T Nagar to Kilkattalai. “My 18-year-old son wanted me to be with him but my work mattered to me and my family understands it,” he says.
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