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Devassy Kutty, Kaladi, Ernakulam. |
When a man working in a telephone booth and earning Rs.50 per day decided to devote part of his time and resource to feed the poor patients in the local government hospital, many eyebrows were raised. However, 4 years later, Devassy Kutty is going steady with his never-failing daily service and has even managed to find self-employment, running a textile shop under two tarpaulin sheets in the footpaths of Kaladi, Ernakulam.
“Since I am now self-employed, I can go to the hospital in the afternoon without obtaining permission from anyone,” he says. The customers too know about the shop owner’s habits. They do not go to a different shop if they happen to come during lunch hour and find the store empty. They wait patiently till he returns, for they know that he must have gone to the hospital.
Those who have tasted his porridge often patronize his shop afterwards.
He has the support of his wife Reetha and sons Akhil, Likhin and Emmanuel in bringing food to the hospital and distributing it.
The day before Thiru Onam last year, the family decided at the shop to provide a mundu and towel each to the patients in addition to free lunch. His sons packed the best mundu and towels for the purpose. They then started waiting for custormers, whose support was vital for the success of the venture.
Till 4 o’clock in the evening no customer entered his lowly shop. But between 4 pm and 7pm there was huge rush and the 14 patients in the hospital benefited from this sudden sale.
Courtesy:
Ranjith Nair (text), Vanitha, September 1-14, 2007
Contributed by: Administrator
