Service Providers

Met an interesting organisation ECONET, which works with Nomadic tribes of Maharashtra. The challenges of working with a poor community, which keeps moving are tremendous. How do you monitor the health of the pregnant women and children; how do you ensure that kids go to school and the community gets all the services provided by the government?

But, the most striking aspect was how they describe these people as 'Community Service Providers'. Any community needs lot of services and the nomadic tribes provide some, which no one is able to. So, they are community service providers. It was a terrific perspective. We consider only BSNL and Airtel as Service Providers!!

So, here are some nice service providers to our society.

Fortunte Tellers : We can call them Psychiatrists or Counsellors. What change they are able to bring in people's lives by giving hope and simple advice - all with just a parrot, some printed colourful cards and of course, lot of imagination. Selfless service, I would say.

There is another kind of fortune tellers. They come with a colourfully decorated bull. He goes one step further. You don't have go searching for him; he comes to your doorsteps and gives the good words.


Then, we can have one whole range of people called Entertainers. Compared to the complicated lives of our film stars and cricket stars, these entertainers are so effective, personal and wonderful.

This Flute seller not only sells flutes, but also plays the latest popular songs. In bus stands and markets and pavements. What a melodious service...

Then, we have our own flower sellers all over the place. I am fascinated to see those industrious women selling flowers to the middle class house wives coming back from work in the busy markets of Trichy. Some 10 of them will be standing in a row, no competition between them as people keep choosing one seller to other. Selling flowers and spreading fragrance ...

And, some entertainers live a dangerous life. Like these snake charmers. Howmuchever my scientific knowledge refutes, these service providers are a curious breed of entertainers...


And, we have our own Narikoravas in different parts of Tamilnadu, selling a wide array of things. Starting from beads to strange medicines, talisman and rare herbal drugs, you name it.


I wish I know one or two of such tricks and provide some service to the world at large! Probably, by being stupid and saying clumsy things, I can hope to spread sweetness and happiness?

Should learn at least one or two such things...