Mumbaikars United & Raised Rs 2.5 Lakhs To Help Family Of Pani Puri Seller Who Died Of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is not just a health crisis, but also an economic one. Due to the fear of the spread of the virus, many have lost their jobs and livelihoods, which is adding to their troubles.

Bhagvati Yadav ran a small pani-puri stall at the Rungta Lane near the posh Napean Sea Road. For the past nearly 46 years, he travelled from his tiny home in Mata Parvati Nagar at nearby Walkeshwar daily and sold pani-puri there for decades.

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Known for his lipsmacking pani-puris, one of Mumbai's favourite street snacks, Yadav was a stickler for cleanliness who used only bottled mineral water, earning him the nickname of 'Bisleri Panipuriwala'.

Yadav who was a diabetic and had been admitted to a hospital and in the third week of May succumbed to Covid-19. Since he was the sole breadwinner for his family, Yadav's death left his loved ones including his wife and a daughter who is a Maths teacher in a poor state during the pandemic.

But after getting to know about their plight, a group of his loyal customers came together to support them. People from south Mumbai have joined hands to collect money and help his family, through a crowd-funding platform, raising over Rs 2.50 lakh so far, with a target of Rs 5 lakh.

IANS

"He was very popular in the area. We have all been savouring his pani-puris and other snacks since years," said a resident Girish Agarwal, who launched the crowd-funding drive to Yadav's family. "So far, there are contributions of around Rs 2.53 lakh from some 125 plus of his patrons in India and abroad, on the platform, www.ketto.org fundraiser for the panipuriwala," Agarwal told IANS.

"While we can try to find another snacking spot, his family will gravely miss a loving father, husband, and provider. They need our support. That's why we've created this page to contribute whatever you feel fit. And will make sure your generosity reaches his wife and his daughter Kusum," he said in the appeal.

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Another resident A. Shah said that he had been frequenting Yadav's stall for over three decades for the hygiene and "unchanged taste" he always maintained, and he was sad to learn of his passing. Many of his regular patrons were not even aware of his name, but over a couple of months ago, started missing him when his stall did not open for days in the evening.