The rickshaw wallah was not wearing the common lungi, but a pair of jersey-like stretchy pants

Gentle smile of rickshaw wallah — Rickshaw wallah with a gentle smile on his face

While walking through the streets of Berhampore, I spotted a lone cycle rickshaw parked at the edge of a quiet lane. Seated not on the driver’s seat but on the passenger side was the rickshaw-wallah himself.

He sat with one knee raised, legs casually crossed, his entire posture wrapped in a quiet ease — the kind that comes naturally during a lull between fares. The rickshaw was a bit worn, but the seat seemed to have molded itself into a perfect resting place for him.

When I pointed my camera in his direction, he glanced over and offered a smile — not bold or boastful, but slightly shy, quietly genuine. That single expression softened the mood of the narrow street, already slightly removed from the town’s usual chaos.

Glancing down, I noticed something unexpected — instead of the traditional lungi, he was wearing what looked like stretchy athletic pants, something more akin to track bottoms. It was an unusual choice in India, but it suited him surprisingly well. Perhaps it was for comfort, or maybe it was simply chance.

Whatever the reason, the subtle mismatch only made him feel more human. When traveling, it’s often that small detail — that tiny deviation from the expected — that lingers most vividly in your memory.

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