Mangaluru: Those who complain about being unemployed and the ones who blame their fate for their poor financial background must meet a 78-year-old person Ananth Shenoy of Mannagudda. He has been leading his life from the past 58 years through a petty sugarcane juice shop. Though his daughter asked him not to work and promised of taking care of him throughout his life, this elderly man refused the same with a belief that ‘work is worship.’
While passing by Canara school near Mannagudda, one can see a small sugarcane juice shop ‘Sri Vinayaka Juice Centre’ owned by Ananth Shenoy. As his petty juice shop is located near the school, it is always surrounded by students. For some people, he is ‘Shenoy Mam’, and for some others he is ‘Uncle.’ If any child goes to him seeking juice without money, he gives it to them free of cost. Hence, the intention of running the juice shop is not limited to earning money, but it is a means to a self-sufficient and peaceful life for him.
Shenoy is an alumnus of St. Aloysius School. He was forced to discontinue his education when he was studying in SSLC as his father breathed his last. In order to lead his life he started a small sugarcane juice making shop at Bavutagudda, adjacent to the Central Library. Though he quit studying, he did not give up his passion for playing cricket and Kabaddi. He was an all-rounder cricketer between 1975 and 1985. He recalls that under his captaincy ‘Prabhat Cricketers’ of Mangaluru secured many trophies continually for 10 years.
After running sugarcane juice shop for nearly 40 years near St. Aloysius School in Bavutagudda, he shifted his shop near Canara Primary School in Mannagudda and it has been there from the last 18 years. His wife died two decades ago and he was living with her daughter. But after her marriage he was forced to live alone at a rented house in Mannagudda. Due to his unconditional love towards all, he gained the confidence of all, irrespective of caste and religion.
‘Engaging in work is secret of my good health’
Speaking to Newskarnataka, he says, “Though my daughter Nandini Prabhu and son-in-law Rajesh Prabhu asked me to stop working and promised to take care of me, I refused. I will work till my last breath. One should not spend time lazily but engage in one or the other work. If I am leading a peaceful and healthy life, it is because of continuous work”, he adds.
‘Shenoy Mam is like a grandfather to me’
Mahesh, a resident of Shivamogga who has been working for a private firm in city told Newskarnataka that Ananth Shenoy is just like a grandfather to him. “As my house is located near Shenoy’s, I drop him to his shop in the morning and help him to peel the sugarcane. Though he is not my relative, I love him the most and I am ready to extend whatever help I could to him”, he adds.
