Sukh Chayn Gardens

12/05/2016

-One man’s journey from a village to the city; from a savage life to one of colors and happiness-

I joined Sukh Chayn in 2006. Today, it’s been ten years and I cannot tell you how much my life has changed. Before I started here, life in the village used to be something completely else. I used to hang out with bad company, was into drugs, and at times days would pass by without me realising that I had to shower. A sense of personal well being and what life was about had gotten lost somewhere.

But sir, ‘Gaon se bahir niklay toh pata chala zindagi hai’ (when I stepped out of my village, I got to know that life existed). ‘Pardes akay pata chala, padhay likhay lokan naal khum ke, ke zindagi kis cheez da naa aye’ (Coming to the foreign land (city), sitting with educated people, I realised that there was another form of life that existed).

I started working as a gardener because from childhood, I always wanted to drive a tractor. Back in our village, only the rich farmers could own tractors; it was a real sense of pride to drive a tractor around. I drove a tractor in Sukh Chayn for quite some time fulfilling my childhood dream, but now I’ve been promoted to being a ‘Head Gardener.’

How do you feel about this change in your job title?

I’m very happy to have had the honour of being promoted; I want to keep each and every individual working under me happy. But the reality is that anyone who has 50-60 people working under him, you can’t make everyone happy because you can’t provide same amount of welfare to everyone. Someone who gets less work is happy in comparison to the one who gets more. But in my eyes the person who works more and is content with what he does holds more respect in my eyes, thus availing more welfare in terms of every facility from the other lot.

Doing this job has incorporated a higher sense of responsibility in me, I’m responsible for giving them direction, taking the charge but at the same time catering to their needs and I try to run my show as you’d be doing it in your corporate offices. For someone who works at night for us, I give him the day off to rest; I could make him work again if I wanted to but that is something that goes against the values I hold as a leader to them.

I have two children in my house and the only thing I hope for them is that they don’t burn in the sun like their father did. For that reason alone, I’m motivated enough to do my job to the best of my abilities, to be able to provide for them, with good food and education.

What is the one message you want to give to those who are reading this?

Education is the key to a better life or is the key to bring colours to one’s life. I come from a village and people like me live a decapitated life, only because education doesn’t exist in our village. I hope someday people in my village also receive good education, which may come forward to be a blessing in disguise contrary to the negative connotations attached to it in the village life.

-Muhammad Elyas

02/05/2016

~From a Helper to a Driver to a Caretaker of Birds: A Man Who Has Conquered It All.”

I come from the bustling city of Faisalabad, where I started driving as my profession. I wasn’t educated much so I didn’t have much choice. Initially, driving a taxi was very rough, but it didn’t matter if I was sick, tired or hungry; all that mattered was whether my taxi was booked or not. So I would drive from one city to another non-stop, and even though I knew my passenger’s destination, my own life was moving aimlessly with no sense of direction.

It was when I got a job as a chauffeur at a private residence that the second chapter of my life had begun. My routine started at 5am servicing the cars and dropping the children to school. It was definitely better than driving a taxi, except for the fact that I didn’t get breakfast on time. “Sir paindu banday hain, raat ki roti kha kar subha keh uthay hotay hain bhook se bura haal ho jata tha” (I’m a villager, last meal we have is dinner, get up early so get distressed from hunger). Even though I would watch my employers eat a hearty meal, I would be left to starve.

The next chapter of my life begun when I was working in a mill from where I was able to work my way up, until the moment when tragedy struck: I accidentally cut off one of my fingers and I couldn’t work anymore. My own family kicked me out of the house as they couldn’t bear the medical expenses.

The fourth and which I consider final chapter of my life began with ‘Sukh Chayn Gardens.’

I joined here as a driver (finally was free to eat whenever I wanted). I was eventually given the task of looking after the different types of birds. Initially, I thought I wouldn’t be able to do it, but as time passed by, my affiliation with the birds grew and I got to know my job better. I had started with 11 peacocks and now I’m responsible for forty three, and that to me is an achievement in itself. I clean them, feed them and nurture them to the best of my abilities. My satisfaction is when kids come to the park to see them and their faces light up with smiles, witnessing the beauty of these birds.

I’ve been here for seven years now and not leaving anytime soon.

If you had a choice to change something from your past, what would it be?

Sir, I’ve lived my life and it’s all in the past now. I don’t think I would’ve been able to change anything even if I live it again. I have small children (a girl in prep, another in 5th grade, a boy in 3rd grade) and all I want for them is to have a better life than me. “Dua hai keh meri tarhan jaga jaga thokarien na khaien, kisi achi jaga lag jayien baday ho kar. Umeed toh nahi hai iski, lekin Allah keh samnay dua zaroor hai” (I pray that my children don’t have to be coerced into switching from one thing to another, I don’t have hope that they won’t have to but all I can do is pray to Allah for them).

-Zulfiqar Ali

27/04/2016

“Sometimes it is the little ones in your house that can surprise you the most.”

My father had passed away when I was still in school, and so began my first step into another chapter of my life that started with Sukh Chayn Gardens. I joined here as a gardener and learnt the required skills on the job. I had always wanted to become a government teacher as I loved how through this one avatar thousands of lives could be changed to enable them all to live a happy life.

Even though I was the youngest sibling in my house, I had to take over the role of my father. It is a position that I have been desperately trying to fill but fall short of on one occasion or another. We are a total of six brothers and sisters, and today I can proudly say that I provided for them to study ahead. I managed to get my sisters to grade six, after which they decided to quit. My brothers were able to get to Matric, all the while sacrificing my own hopes and dreams. Recently, I got two of my sisters and brothers married. I was able to provide everything, from finances right down to the sweets served at the shaadi (wedding). To me, if I can see my brothers and sisters smile at the expense of me working selflessly is something I can live with and gives meaning to my existence and role in life after my father.

Are you content with life or would you like to do something else?

I have more responsibilities now; I have to take care of my siblings while building the future of my own children as well. So I don’t have time to think about these things. “Wesay bhi sir jee, haathoon mien yahi kaam hai-aur kya karna hai” (as it is sir, this is the only work I have in my hands, what else can I do?) The only void I feel inside my life is the existence of my father. I would love to have his support or to just have him look at me once and give his nod of approval over everything I’m doing and will continue to do.

I hope he’s up there (points to the sky, with teary eyes) and is looking down upon us both while I’m telling you my life story.

-Muhammad Shahid

26/04/2016

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26/04/2016

M Younas a man, a gardener has spent 64 years of his life in this locality.
-So why did you choose to become a gardener?

His subtle answer was “It wasn’t a choice; what was I supposed to be, didn’t have anything else to choose from, wasn’t educated, didn’t have any other means of survival.” Since childhood I was into agriculture working on fields with my father, but then my family lost their lands and I was forced to look for a job. As the land evolved from a mango orchard to a domestic hub of life, the once known peace and tranquillity changed into the everyday commotion of life. With that the wrinkles on my face got deeper (chuckles).

-The one life lesson you’d want to give away to people?

For a poor man ‘not getting two wages = falling behind a whole year’ you don’t ever make ends meet for those two days lost, those two days amount to two days I wasn’t able to literally put food on the table, failed to pay my children’s school fees, this is one of those harsh realities of life. But that doesn’t mean I’m not content with life “Allah ka Shukar hai ji kha pi keh kya bura kehna.”

M Younas has been with Sukh Chayn since 2005, the glint of satisfaction in his eyes and the smile on his face seems uncanny to the normal eye because while we are stuck behind laptop screens and air conditioned offices he perhaps feels more content than us, with what he has however large or small.

17/07/2015

Eid Mubarak to Sukh Chayn Family.
May Allah SWT bless you and your families with best of His blessings.

11/06/2015

Revival of Sukh Chayn's Musical Fountain.

13/05/2015

Ground Breaking, 11-May-2015

28/04/2015

28/04/2015

Bookings & Details:
Asim Akram
(Project Consultant)
M: 0300 427 96 48
E: [email protected]

18/04/2015

We announce with great sadness that one of our best colleague at Sukh Chayn Gardens MUHAMMAD ARSHAD BHATTI has passed away last night 8:00 PM.انا لله وانا اليه راجعون

('Nimaz e Janaza' information will be shared later)

Admin
0300 4279648

30/03/2015

Most Awaiting
PALM AVENUE 1
@ Sukh Chayn Gardens Lahore.

Launching soon........