Portrait of a citizen.

[Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi]

A halwai shop cook in a central Delhi bazar, he churns out 1,500 samosas daily. This cold night, while at work, young Abdul Rashid agrees to become a part of our Proust Questionnaire series, in which citizens are nudged to make “Parisian parlour confessions”, all to explore our distinct experiences.

The principal aspect of your personality.
A hope in my heart to become kamyab (successful).

Your favourite qualities in a man.
Polite manners.

Your favourite qualities in a woman.
The talent to wear nice clothes, and for a courteous way of speaking.

What do you appreciate the most in your friends?
The ability to be useful.

Your main fault.
I’m illiterate. My parents tried to get me educated, but my heart was never in the studies.

Your favourite occupation.
What I’m doing right now—working as a cook. I belong to a community of cooks. My father works as a cook in Bahraich. My father’s father too was a cook. His father too was a cook. My brothers too are cooks.

Your idea of happiness.
When somebody talks to me with mohabbat (love), then I feel as if I have conquered the world.

Your idea of misery.
If somebody will break my heart. Or, if my dreams will not become real.

If not yourself, who would you be?
An educated man.

Where would you like to live?
Lucknow. It is the city of nawabs.

Your heroes in real life.
My father, Muhammed Sheikh. He has given me all I desired. Once he gifted me a bike! He greatly comforted me when my mother expired three years ago.

Your favourite food.
Aloo gosht.

Your favourite names.
Naseer, Vaseem—my brothers. Sakina, the name of my late mother.

The natural talent you’d like to be gifted with.
Magical powers. I would have then made all the poverty in our India disappear.

How do you wish to die?
While praying.

What is your present state of mind?
Feeling happy to be interviewed. This is an achievement for me.

Faults for which you have the most tolerance.
When people hurl swear words.

Your motto in life.
Doing my duty, working hard, and serving my father.