Winds of Compassion

“A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”

-          Albert Einstein

A few days ago I came across this quote. The last line of the quote asks us to reach out to living creatures and the natural beauty. But the questions lies in how? How can we widen our circle of compassion? I guess everyone will have a different opinion on this topic. The opinion maybe based on the way a particular person sees the world. Some people might show compassion by giving alms to the needy. Some people might show compassion by feeding a stray dog. But compassion for what? A musician shows compassion for the auditory senses through his finest piece of music.  An artist shows compassion for visual senses through his finest piece of art.

A designer shows compassion through his design. That is the language he chooses to reflect his compassion. You know the reason?

Because design itself is an outcome of compassion. Designers are compassionate people, didn't you know that?

The very essence of finding a problem and coming up with a solution to those problems  exists due to compassion. There is a feeling to connect to every human being. An empathy to understand the problems being faced by the society. A joy to create something for the society. Something which is going to help someone or the other in one or many ways. It is the compassion to create something worthwhile, to create something which is going to improve lives that drives a good design.

One of my projects was to come up with a proposal for a product solution for street side vendors selling food items. Now this was a project which was about compassion. A compassion which lead me to propose a design to provide a good experience to the customer and also to uplift the present status of the street vendors. After all, street food is something which we all enjoy.

When I was doing my research for the topic, I came across a street vendor who was selling chaat  right in front of a big shop. As part of my research, I started talking to him. I asked for a plate of chaat and slowly eased him into a conversation. I asked him questions regarding him and his business.

He replied,

“Sir, I am from Mumbai. I use to be a spot boy in Mumbai. Later, after earning some considerable amount of money, I opened up my own chaat stall. I have served many actors and actresses. My business was going on really good but unfortunately, I had to move out because of some differences with my brother. So I came to Pune to seek a better life here."

On asking how his business was, he replied

“It has been just four days since I moved here. Up until now, the business is running on fine. But not as good as I expected it to be. Hopefully, it will become better. “

I asked  him about the problems he faced.

“I have to travel a long distance daily to sell my stuff. Sometimes it is very difficult when it rains. I have to leave my food cart here itself as I cannot travel with it daily. It’s pretty huge and costed me around twenty-five thousand rupees.”

I was shocked! A wooded food cart for twenty-five thousand?  I asked about the drinking water and the electricity for his cart bulb.

“The shop behind me provides me with the electricity at hundred rupees per month. I get the drinking water from the water cooler outside the shop. In order to attract customers, I display my products on the top shelf of the cart from where everyone can see it."

While this food entrepreneur was busy talking to me, I started to observe the surrounding. In place of a proper garbage bin, there was an old cardboard carton which was already overflowing and there was garbage all around it which was attracting a lot of flies. There was no provision for hygienic drinking water for the  customers. There was a small PET water container which was used for washing hands and the water used to flood the pavement.

I observed the way the vendor was making the chaat. He had no gloves or hair covering. I inquired him regarding the hygiene measures and he said that he never considered it but will consider it now. I was done with the interview. I thanked him for his time and wished him good luck with his business.

What I saw really compelled me to think. Why is there such pathetic condition of street food? Why can’t people have hygienic food? And moreover, how can the same people who demand hygienic food, themselves contribute in making the street sides dirty? Why can't people throw their wastes in the garbage bins? And why can’t these street vendors have a better working condition?

This thought process lead me to think of some innovative solutions to the food cart. I am a designer. I have to be compassionate. There is a problem and I have to provide a solution. Thus, I started off with the design process. The brainstorming sessions, the mind mapping sessions. The cognitive thinking as well the usability and feasibility concept. I developed some concepts and finally went for one of the concept which was a portrayal of a futuristic urban food cart.

Now looking back, I ask myself, what really inspired me to design this cart? Simply put, it was compassion. The compassion with the customers that they have a right to enjoy mouthwatering street food in the most hygienic condition. The compassion with the street vendors to provide them with solutions which they don’t have in their food carts right now.

But thinking at a global level, merely a product isn't going to change things. The whole system needs to co-operate. The vendors need to be educated and the customers need to have certain moral obligations for not dirtying up the streets. I hope for a better society.