“On a railway platform, you see every kind of life. There are people travelling in comfort with several suitcases, families carefully counting their money and passengers in general coaches carrying everything they own. I have watched lakhs of them over the years, and one thing has stayed with me — our circumstances may be different, but we are all passengers on the same train of life.

My name is Birju. I am from Banaras, and I became a railway porter when I was 22. For nearly 40 years, these platforms have been my workplace and my window to the world. My work has taken me to Howrah, Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and many other cities. At every station, I have met people from different walks of life and heard stories I would otherwise never have known.

My father was a porter too. I grew up watching him in his red shirt, and when I took up this work, his brass badge became part of my identity. I have four sons, and all of them studied until class 12 and now work in private jobs. They have never complained about our circumstances. In fact, they have always stood by me and supported me. For me, they are the greatest sons a father could ask for.

I have carried all kinds of luggage and met all kinds of people. If a pregnant woman asks me to carry her bags, I do it without charging her. There are small moments like these that remind me that work is not only about money.

The profession has changed over time. Battery-operated luggage carriers, escalators and trolley bags have reduced the need for porters. Some days, we wait for hours without a customer. The railways provide basic medical care and a travel pass for me and my wife, but there is no pension or provident fund to depend on later.

Still, I feel fortunate for what this life has taught me. I have seen people leave their homes, return to their families, search for work and begin new chapters. I may not have earned great wealth, but I have earned the affection of many people, and that means a lot to me.

I was born in Banaras, beside Maa Ganga. After spending a lifetime watching people come and go, I only have one wish left. When my time comes, I want to return to her.”