Painter forced to sell funeral materials for subsistence

Aurangabad, May 30:

Coronavirus has adversely affected most sections of the society and many have been forced to leave their traditional occupations and pursue other occupations due to the employment crisis. A painter from Mukundwadi area is now forced to sell materials for funeral service for subsistence.

Pradip Todkar a resident of Mukundwadi area is an expert painter. Digital printing put an end to the making of billboards, banners for wedding ceremonies and cultural and political rallies. Over time, the corona pandemic also put a stop to business. Painted boards are durable for many years, so most shopkeepers, manufacturers and government work are done by painters. But due to modern technology, the painters are struggling to find work. In the past, the painters also used to paint movie boards in front of cinema houses in an attractive form. However, this also came to an end after the launch of digital posters. Todkar, who was already struggling to manage family's livelihood, hence opted to work in a shop selling funeral materials in Mukundwadi. Because this shop is open 24 hours a day, he got employment and has been working at the shop for a year and a half. It is now a source of livelihood for the family. The fear of what the relatives will say is no longer in my mind, said Todkar.