Hadi Chacha : Letter writers

Hadi Chacha : Letter writers

This is ever changing world. Seasons change, relations take new turns Life style, wearing style changes and one day resembling time comes when human change in to world’s color.

Likewise customs also change. But living conditions of poor remain unchanged.

There were days when letter writing and reading has been at peak and a large number of people were involved in this practice. But now this all is a story of the gone days.

Letter writers used to sit out side the main post offices of every city, fulfilling the needs of people. Hyderabad main post office too had over one dozen letter writers, who used to sit out side post office whether it was a hot day or rainy day. But today there are only a few; those are practicing a little letter writing and more sending applications.

A senior letter writer Hadi Bakhsh Qureshi sitting under the shadow of tree is still there. He is senior not in age but in this profession also as the others have come in this business some 5 to 7 years back.

Hadi says is, they do not need to learn about this profession as they already knew it.

Disappointed from conditions, Munshi Hadi did not get better education because he has no money. Distressed from unemployment he chose this profession.

In 1968, he passed matriculation from Sindh Oriental College and started working out side Municipal office. Later, he worked out side telegram office but he was not satisfied as he did not get proper income so shifted to post office.

Munishi Hadi lives separately from his family and due to this poverty he could not married. He said even he could not wear good and new clothes.

What ever he earns that goes only to fill his belly. He says ” sirf paet guzara hae”

While recalling past he takes a long smoke of traditional “Bedi” and said: “change has come in environment but our condition remained unchanged.

The period of letter writing has gone because telephone has become common, low rates of SMS, increase in chatting and e-mail. This new technology has replaced letter writing. He says: “Ab tao kabhi kabhar hi hi koi khat likhwane ata hae”

He said, no body has time so that he should come for letter writing and wait one week or so for answer.

A few years back, poor people used to come for letter writing.

Most of the clients of Hadi were women who used to come for writing letter to husbands and relatives who lived out of country.

He is very professional man he doesn’t tell us what he was writing in letters. When asked about any affair during his profession, he said that deals with every girl as a customer and has no affair.

About love letter, he says no girl used to come for love letter, rather some boys used to come.

He has fixed rate for letter writing. He charges Rs 10 for one page of letter. Earlier, it was Rs5. And for applications he charges Rs20 or 25, however that depends on the matter.

Hadi is not only a professional but also wants to keep business secrets. He declined to answer this question, how many people come in a day? He much annoyed about journalist becuase gave interview to some journalist which was distorted making mockery of Hadi.

Hadi hopes the day will come when every thing will change. He goes to bed for sleep every night with this hope.