For 38 years Sachin Das has stitched shoes outside Jashore court, finding his happiness in newspapers and Baul songs

Sachin Das has been stitching and polishing shoes outside the Jashore court for nearly 38 years. He is now 56. Between customers he reads newspapers, and in his spare time he practises the literature of Rabindranath, Nazrul and other poets and writers. He also has a special love for Baul songs.

Sachin Das's home is at Sajalpur Jamtola in Jashore Sadar upazila. His father, Debu Gosai, spent 55 years in the same profession. After passing his secondary examinations from Muslim Academy in Jashore town in 1986, Sachin joined his father's trade, and he has spent his working life in front of the court ever since.

On Wednesday he could be seen at work opposite a newspaper stall on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Road in front of the court. Every morning he buys one newspaper from that stall, takes a few more papers along with the one he bought, and sits down to work. After reading them he keeps the paper he bought and returns the rest to the stall. Sachin Das reads four to five newspapers every day.

Alongside his reading, he also holds a Baul music session once a week. Sachin Das says the session takes place at his home after dusk every Wednesday, where he himself sings at full voice. His wife, son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren all join in, and everyone in the family plays some instrument. Lalon songs are practised at the session as well.

His household has seven people: his mother, wife, son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. He also has two daughters, both married and living at their in-laws' homes. Despite hardship, he says his family keeps searching for happiness in small joys.

Sachin has not brought his son, Satya Das, into his own profession. He has sent him to learn salon work instead. Asked why he did not bring his son into his father's and grandfather's trade, Sachin Das said people still look down on this work and do not respect it, and that is why he did not bring his child into the profession.

Sachin Das earns 400 to 450 taka a day. His son contributes 200 to 250 taka a day to the household from his salon work. He says the family now lives in a rented house and manages somehow on his and his son's income. But life does not stop, he says, so he looks for small happiness in reading newspapers and making music, and finds his joy in that.