03 December,2010 07:11 AM IST | | Kumar Siddharth
Cobbler community of city takes pride in its work even though trade's no longer lucrative
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Their eyes scan every single foot, scurrying on the road. They can easily differentiate between the various types of leather. They may not be aware of the latest international brand introduced in the market but can surely judge its quality with a single touch.
Their professional eyes can determine how many miles your footwear will last without requiring repairs.
Sitting under the baking sun with tattered umbrellas to give some shade, cobblers mending shoes and chappals are a common sight. "I do not know my age so I can not tell for how long I am in this profession. My father died when I was a tiny tot and then I took over his profession," says Valmiki Chikalker, a cobbler who sits on a road near K K Market.
The cobbler community does its job with dignity. "Every job is good if practiced honestly. Though mending slippers and sandals don't pay much, we are satisfied," says Arun Patil (24), a cobbler, who sits outside Pune Institute of Computer Technology (PICT). "I am sending my brothers to school with what I earn. This profession helps me live with dignity and I don't need to extend my hands to seek other's compassion."
Few cobblers do their jobs with the intention to carry on the legacy of their forefathers. "I have a small shop of shoes and slippers near Saras Baug and that gives substantial income, but I still stitch shoes because this reminds me of what I really am. No matter how high you fly, one should not forget the ground," says a learned cobbler, near Lakshminarayan theatre.
An anvil, two withered shoe-brushes, Cherry Blossom shoe polish, rusty needles and thick threads, which they call jara dhaga, are the only equipment these cobblers have.
"My entire belongings could be packed in a gamcha or towel and that is why I do not have a problem in transporting them," says Dutta Prasad Gundale, a cobbler who has parked himself opposite Nehru Stadium for the last six years.
Normally, they do not have permission to sit on public footpaths but as they do not create any trouble, no one questions them. However, to avert legal actions they bribe officials.
"Constables and staffs from the municipal corporation bully us and threaten to remove us from our usual place and put us behind bars," complain cobblers sitting near Swargate. "They give their boots for cleaning polishing and revamping but don't pay a single penny." As a result, they do not get time to cater to genuine customers and have to bear a heavy loss, say the cobblers.u00a0
