Did you ever think of visiting Delhi in summer days? You would not think if you would have heard about the temperature and scorching heat of Delhi. Delhi’s sunny days still haunts people. If you are making a plan to visit Delhi don’t forget to carry a tall bottle of water or sugarcane juice with you. If you are not carrying your own, — you may have money to purchase water or juice to drink in the scorching heat of Delhi, but there are thousands of people who can not afford to do so.
We are going to talk about an octogenarian Alagarathanam Natarajan, most popularly known as Delhi’s ‘Matka Man‘. He himself an inspiration for millions. Alagarathanam Natarajan used to run joke souvenir shop in the streets of London. When he was diagnosed with Intestinal cancer, decided to come back to India.
Since he returned to India he keeps himself busy of helping others in Delhi. After noticing in the blistering heats of Delhi, there are hundreds of people going thirsty as they do not have water to quench their thirst, Alagarathanam Natarajan thought of starting a thirst-quenching mission.
Alagarathanam Natarajan wrote on his website, “When I first returned I was working on creating a more sturdy and efficient cycle rickshaw. Since then I have offered my skills to an orphanage, to a last-stage cancer hospice, served langar (food) to the homeless in Chandni Chowk and carried out the cremation of destitute to give them a dignified end. In 2014 in the smothering heat of the Delhi summer, I turned my attention to water. After seeing so many people going thirsty, I began thinking, how can I help them?”
Initially, he installed a water cooler outside his home, but later he realized that people will have to walk a fair amount of distance to quench their thirst. “Once, I casually asked one of the guards who came to take water from the cooler why he was coming here and not taking water from where he worked. He said they did not provide him water,” Alagarathanam Natarajan told the Economic Times.
He was appalled by what he just heard then he took it upon himself to install several Matkas, coolers or earthen pots in several spots around the South Delhi. According to him, national’s capital is thirsty, and the Matkas he has installed in many parts of Delhi provide drinking water to many. Alagarathanam Natarajan has developed and installed more than 15 Matkas all over his neighborhood in South Mumbai.
“The stands have a sign with my number, so people can notify me when a Matka is empty. They need around 2000 litres of water a day in the summer months, and the water is supplied by a school nearby and two kind souls. The rest I supplement from my own home. I maintain these stands daily with my van,” Alagarathanam Natarajan says.
Without any gap, irrespective of whether, Alagarathanam Natarajan every morning before the sun rises, he starts his van and begins his rounds, refilling Matkas with water. Sometimes, the water lasts all day, but there are also times when it gets over by the evening. In such cases, anyone who wants water or is a well-wisher only needs to call and inform him about the situation.
As Delhi has the humongous amount of people, this Matka man effort is not enough to quench the thirst of all. Alagarathanam Natarajan is also looking for people who can join him in his thirst-quenching mission. Here are more details about what he needs. Click the link and help him to help Delhi!
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