Hitlar Nadar has spent more than 25 years near the Matunga Circle selling books but what many don’t know is that he is more than a bookseller. The Sion resident is also a nature lover, and one that led him to nurture a tree near Anand Bhavan, after it was ignored by people around it
Hitlar Nadar, who is a bookseller at Matunga Circle, has nurtured the tree since 2013, after it was planted by the BMC. Photo Courtesy: Manjeet Thakur
There are very few who go beyond the work they do to answer their call of duty and Hitlar Nadar, a Matunga-based bookseller is one of them because he has not only sold books but also taken care of a tree. “I feel so happy about this tree that I have taken care of and even feel like it is a big achievement in my life,” says Nadar, pointing towards the tree he nurtured, when nobody else was paying attention to it. The 54-year-old has been popular because of name, which is self-explanatory. While being a familiar face at Matunga Circle for close to 30 years, what many may not know is that he has a deeper relationship with the locality and the environment around it.
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After working as a bread seller for some time when he initially came to Mumbai from Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, the Sion Koliwada resident found his calling in selling books. It was after he saw the booksellers in the Matunga going about their daily business, when he was still looking for jobs. Ever since, that place has been like a second home for him and one that he has seen evolve around him.
Hitlar Nadar's stall (in picture) has been near the area where the tree stands today, for more than 25 years. Photo Courtesy: Manjeet Thakur/Mid-day
In 2013, Nadar says, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) planted a small sapling on the footpath diagonally opposite Anand Bhavan Hotel. At the time, the Tamil bookseller used to set up his book stall every day near there for the last 30 years. So, it was only natural that he instantly felt a connection with the plant. He explains, “My life of selling books started here itself near this tree. I used to put my books where the tree stands today for the last 28 years, long before this tree was even planted. After the BMC planted it, nobody around used to pay attention to it.”
It did not take long for Nadar to take it upon himself to nurture the tree by watering it every day till it could independently lay roots. One day a thought came to the 54-year-old, that if this tree grows it will look so good. “So, I started putting water on the very next day. Since it was the summer season and really hot, I used to put 20 litre of water every day. Every time a cow came to graze, I used to fight with the herder to not let the animal take away its beauty,” he laughs.
Nadar considers nurturing and seeing the tree grow as one of his biggest achievements in life. Photo Courtesy: istock
As the Mumbaikar grew, so did the plant as it turned into a tree. Now almost nine years later, it has bloomed into a tree that gives shade to many passers-by on a hot sunny day. His efforts have seen the tree grow beautifully, and one that looks ‘like an umbrella’ and one that even features as his profile picture on WhatsApp and that is what first intrigued us about Hitlar Nadar, who is more than just his name.
While he isn’t currently sitting under the tree because of the monsoon season, and has put up a temporary stall near the Jain temple, he will return there as soon as the season changes. Nadar may not know the name of the tree, but that doesn’t matter because he is content with its beauty and sense of fulfilment that he has received from it.
Also Read: Ganesh Chaturthi 2022: Why these Mumbaikars have chosen to make eco-friendly, homemade idols
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