The Tuk-Tuk Woman of Varanasi

On the narrow lanes and the ghats of Varanasi, through the hustle bustle of absolutely chaotic movement of two and three wheelers of different kinds, animals of different forms and kinds, here a dog and there a cow, a curious cat and the occasional goat, amidst the deafening sound of honking horns Kanchan Jaiswal rides an electric three- wheeler auto with the comfort and ease of a pro. She can steer, drive, honk and cuss as good as any man pursuing the same profession. She picks up her passengers with the ease and brashness that is SO required to survive in this trade, competing with 50,000 and odd men in the same job.

The Nigam (urban authority) has issued close to 50k licenses to the electric three- wheelers, it is said. How many of the licensees are women is anybody’s guess. The tuk-tuks/auto-rickshaws or powered rickshaws are a popular, essential and an integral mode of the Varanasi’s local transport system and it kind of defines Varanasi society, culture and the landscape. The locals and the tourists prefer to get around in them (and the peddling tricycles) as they are the only way to navigate the narrow, slinky alleyways which pass off as streets in the older parts of the town.

Kanchan Jaiswal proudly standing in front of her tuk-tuk

Varanasi or Banaras as it is called, is known for many things other than the famous Vishwanath temple, the Banaras saree as also the chaats and the Banarasi paan! The one other thing that the densely populated old city is famous for is its narrow lanes, bustling traffic steering across which drive the orderly people up the wall. When I found Kanchan as a transport provider on the streets of Banaras last week when on a visit, I was ecstatic. My sojourn towards Shiva would not have been complete without having met a woman who thrives in the big world possessed by men.

Kanchan comes across as a confident person and a professional driver, she is the first one in this city who took to tuk-tuk as a job.  She says that there are about 20 women who have taken to the wheels to earn a living over the last three to four years. They joined the bandwagon being motivated by her, they saw her ferrying and faring well in a man’s bastion with ease and aplomb. Being the leader that she is, Kanchan of late has started collecting the phone numbers and networking with her female counterparts so that she can take a representation to the Prime Minister Narendra Modiji, to ask for help and get some benefits.

For Kanchan, the journey began four years ago during the lock down. There was no transport of any kind available to take her sick mother to the hospital, compelling her to take to the wheels and drive a tuk-tuk. With tears in her eyes she says that with all this she could not save her mother whom she misses very much to this day. But she has stuck to riding the wheels, no one taught her how to but the skill of riding a bicycle when young came to the fore. She would continue to this job till jab tak hai jaan (till she lives)

This first –of- first trend setter woman deserves applause as it is not easy to be tuk- tuk driver in Varanasi, unlike in urban Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai, as navigating the narrow lanes or ferrying passengers along the ghats is no easy task considering the untamed and highly dense traffic and undulated surface. Developed urban areas may have digital devices which can make navigating the town easy, but no such luck here.

Kanchan is all of 44 summers, her life’s mission is to get her school going son educated- ‘as much as he would want to,’ she does not want him to take up this job, for her it has become a habit- ‘ addat si hogye hai,’ she would work till her body supports her. Kanchan says that she is happy to see her son grow, she is confident that he is there to give her coffin a hand at her funeral (‘woh’ mujhe kandha dega).

Kanchan left her husband when her son was one year old, as he was a ‘bewada,’ (drunken sot) she didn’t see any reason why she should sweat out and fend for him. She does not know his present whereabouts, it’s been 14 years, and she cannot be bothered. He must have married again, she says ‘but not me, I have remained single’. Other than the son, Kanchan has no family- no brother, sister no one- she says ‘it is me, my son and my god’- we are a family! 

This trend setter who has been contributing significantly to the city’s busting transportation system has tried her hand at many other small enterprises too as there are innumerable options in the religious, tourist place such as Kashi.  She has sold vegetables, paan (betel leaf normally chewed by the locals) and also ran a canteen ‘mehanat ka koi kaam nahi chode’ (tried my hand at all kinds of menial jobs) but prefers the three- wheeler as it fetches better income.

Resting amidst traffic and noise!

Self- employment, of course is any day better, as it gives her the freedom to adjust time as per her needs. The household work and the time for prayers as also her taxing job gives her very little time to rest. She snatches little naps while waiting for the passengers who would wander around the place after hiring her services. 

Yes, being an auto rickshaw driver is tough. Tougher if you are a woman. And even tougher for a woman in a highly patriarchal, male dominated society that she is from. She has no male member father, brother, husband to support her.  Making matters worse is the fact that lack of education has meant that the social fabric looks unkindly on women who take on jobs like this. Kanchan lives in a rented house and her tuk-tuk is also taken on a rent of Rs 3000 per month but her enthusiasm to live life has not fazed.

Being a woman, Kanchan has so much more difficulty in dealing with both the fellow workers as also the passengers. She does not find it easy to drive away the jealous comments of the male counterparts or the reluctance of the public who think twice before getting into her vehicle as they wonder how a woman could steer them along the crowded urban Varanasi. Will she know the city and it’s by-lanes? Will she have the nerve? Will we be safe? – they wonder. She says that she asks the passengers to give her a chance, if they are uncomfortable with her driving/steering, they can get down and jealous colleagues be damned! The electric three-wheeler rickshaws is designed to carry five people but it is no surprise to see an unbelievable spilling of human bodies from all sides, of as many as 10 and Kanchan can manage this with ease.

Next time you are in Varanasi do not forget to engage Kanchan (+91 79857 31651), meeting and talking to her is a life- time experience not to be missed!