The singing sweeper who came home to attend to aged parents

By Sunil Saxena

As I drove along the busy Delhi-Moradabad Highway, I decided to stop at the well-known Shiva Dhaba for a quick break. Like most travellers, I headed to the washroom before grabbing a meal.

What I didn’t expect was to be overwhelmed by an unexpected experience.

The moment I stepped into the men’s washroom, I was greeted by the soft strains of an old Bollywood song that was my college favourite.

Initially, I thought it was one of the travellers who had broken into an impromptu song.

But then I saw the singer. He was a middle-aged sweeper, lost in his own world, flushing a toilet, oblivious to the travellers rushing in and out.

His voice was filled with passion, and I could not but stop myself and listen to the lyrics as they floated melodiously over me.

After the song, I went across to him and learnt that his name was Jeetendra Kumar, though people fondly called him Jeetu. For 12 years, he said, he has been sweeping and cleaning the men’s washroom at Shiva Dhaba.

Jeetu’s story touched me deeply. Once, he worked at a fancy five-star hotel in Delhi as a sweeper, but life took a turn when he had to return to his village to care for his aging parents.

He stayed on even after his parents passed away. The washroom at the Dhaba became his stage, and his work his life.

I was moved further when Jeetu told me that he has a dream—to become a playback singer. His unwavering hope is that one day, just maybe, a music director passing by will recognize his talent and give him the break he longs for.

To the many who pass him by, he’s just the washroom sweeper. But to me—and anyone who takes the time to listen—Jeetu is a singer at heart, a reminder that no job is too small when done with passion and purpose. His voice lingers in my mind as a powerful example of how we can all dream big, no matter where we find ourselves.

If you ever find yourself on the Delhi-Moradabad Highway, take a moment to visit Jeetu at Shiva Dhaba. You might just find yourself uplifted, not only by his music but by the sheer joy he brings to his work.

It’s a simple yet inspiring reminder that when you put your heart into what you do, even the most unlikely places can become a stage for your dreams.

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