Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, May 7: Ghulam Nabi Teli, 45, and Muhammad Hussain Teli, 40, from Chakbagh area of Hazratbal Srinagar are visually challenged. But working against all odds, they didn’t allow their handicap to come in the way of earning their livelihood.
For last 15 years, they are now stitching quilts which they learnt from their father, Mohammad Sidiq Teli.
Before coming into the profession, they had gone to a school for blinds in Dehradun. After coming back, they were taught making quilts by their father who has been associated with it since long.
Despite working hard, they are hardly able to make their ends meet. They earn a paltry sum of Rs 2000 -Rs 2500 per month, with additional Rs 1000 as assistance from the Government.
Form their childhood, they have not been taught to be dependent on others. Their father gave them sticks to walk. They joined a school but could not continue and ended up making quilts.
They know where to stitch, how to stitch, they can swiftly slide in the thread into the fine pore of the needle, but they cannot see. The life they are living not only inspires, but also sheds light on the sphere of life which remains hidden.
They said that they could have asked for alms like many others, but they are trying to be different by making quilts and earn their livelihood.
Muhammad Hussain Teli, the younger brother, draws inspiration from his father, who not only made them go to school, but also, when the things took a turn, taught them how to stitch quilts. “He has been my teacher and he has taught me everything, it is because of him that we are able to earn our livelihood,” he said.
With almost no help from the Government, the brothers are working hard to make their ends meet and feed their individual families. “We earn our livelihood, if I make 10 cushions I will earn something, if I don’t I won’t earn anything, same is true for my brother, if he makes a comforter he will earn, he won’t get anything unless he works,” said the elder brother Ghulam Nabi Teli.
While recalling the hardships their father went through in order to get them treated, Ghulam Nabi Teli said that their father did everything to get their ailment treated, but nothing worked. “We are blind by birth, I remember my father would take me to the specialist doctors in his lap but the doctors couldn’t help,” he said.
Not being cowed down by the state of their life, Hussain Teli said that there are so many people who are blind like them, and that the Government could have used their services to teach that lot how to work and earn their own livelihood.
“We could have done that. If the Government had supported us, if they had provided us with a job, we would have taught other blind people this work,” he said.
“We sought support from them to open a centre, where we could have trained other blind people, but they never helped rather they are pushing people like us into begging,” he added.
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