Guwahati: For Rajesh Baworia’s family, the tricolour is more than a national symbol — it becomes a lifeline before Independence Day.Baworia (28) and his family sell flags at traffic signals across Guwahati, moving between locations to attract customers. The Jaipur native travels hundreds of kilometres annually, selling seasonal goods for a living.“Guwahati has remained one of our regular destinations, and we have been coming here for the past four years. We stay in a rented room near the highway and pay Rs 2,500 per month. I am staying here with my wife, brother-in-law and mother-in-law. We brought these flags from Delhi for Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 and are selling them for between Rs 10 and Rs 50 apiece, depending on their size. We arrived in the city seven days ago,” Baworia said.The family can earn between Rs 7,000 and Rs 15,000 during such occasions, though sales often fall short. They also travel to Manipur, Nagpur and Delhi.“Our livelihood is built upon these windows of opportunity, where we roam and sell whatever items are likely to find buyers. We will stay here for four more months, sell whatever we can find, and go back to our hometown,” he added.Besides flags, they sell toys, car-window curtains and other goods. Baworia first assesses demand before calling his family to join him. Without a permanent shop, fixed income or guaranteed customers, every journey remains a gamble.
