'I would rush to help my father on tea-stall after school everyday': PM Modi reveals candid moments of his childhood

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"I would open my father’s tea stall at the railway station, clean up and head off to school. As soon as school ended, I would rush back to help him, but what I really looked forward to was meeting people from all over the country," the snippet of memory  is from the childhood of India's most famous and successful 'chai-wala' who rose from literal ashes of tea stall to the heights of international leadership through his persistent hardwork. 

During his recent visit to Mumbai, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared some candid memories of his childhood with Humans  of Bombay team, which was later published on the group's Facebook page. In first of the five part series, PM Modi revealed how he and his brother took turns to help their mother keep the chulha going. 

In the autobiographical post, PM Modi shared that even as he lived in a  40x12 feet, he dreamed of elusive 'Bambai'. 

Here is the full text fo the interview: 

“My family of 8 lived in a 40x12 feet house – it was small, but enough for us. Our days began early, around 5 AM when my mother would provide traditional forms of curing and healing to newborns and small children. Through the night my brother and I would take turns to keep the ‘chula’ going for her to use. She didn’t have the fortune of getting an education, but God was kind and she had a special way of curing ailments. Mothers would line up outside our house every morning because she was known for her healing touch. 

Then, I would open my father’s tea stall at the railway station, clean up and head off to school. As soon as school ended, I would rush back to help him, but what I really looked forward to was meeting people from all over the country. I would serve them tea and listen to their stories – that’s how I learnt to speak Hindi. I would hear some traders speak about ‘Bambai’ and wonder, ‘Will I ever get to see the city of dreams?’

I was always curious – I would go to the library and read everything I could get my hands on. I was 8 when I attended my first RSS meeting, and 9 when I was a part of an effort for the betterment of the lives of others – I set up a food stall with my friends to help the victims of the floods in parts of Gujarat. I wanted to do more, but I was aware that we had little means.

Still, even at that age, I strongly believed that God has made us all alike. It didn’t matter what circumstances I was born into, I could be something more. So when you ask me, what my struggles were, I’ll tell you that I had none. I came from nothing, I knew no luxury and hadn’t seen a ‘better’ life, so in my small world...I was happy. 

If the way was ever difficult, I made my own way. I had a great need to look sharp and groomed. So, even though we couldn’t afford an iron, I would heat some coal, use an old ‘lota’, wrap a cloth around it and press my clothes – the effect was the same, then why complain? 

This was the beginning of everything that I am today and I didn’t even know it at the time. So if you ask the 8 year old Narendra Modi, running around serving chai and cleaning his father’s tea stall, whether he even dared to dream about becoming the Prime Minister of India, his answer would be no. Never. It was too far to even think about.”

Note: Text has been taken from the Facebook post of Humans of Bombay, originally published on January 5, 2019.