Rick-show

We Meet An Individual Who Is A Genius When It Comes To Bikes. And Trikes.

- Kyle Pereira

As a certain fairy tale goes, trolls live under bridges. But in Mumbai, just before the end of the flyover that takes traffic over the turn off for the National Park, there is another near-mythical being that goes about doing magical things with his hands. And no, he doesn’t threaten to gobble up passing goats to try and quell his insatiable appetite.

The character I am referring to is very much real and goes by the name of Manoj Ram Janam Jha. Fondly called ‘Bhaiji’ by all who frequent him to avail of his mechanical wizardry, he does his work off a footpath and judging from the sheer number of auto-rickshaws waiting for him to cast his spell upon them, he seems to be bloody good at what he does.

Yes, you heard that right. Auto rickshaws. Born in 1972, Bhaiji studied till the fifth grade and began to apprentice as an auto rickshaw mechanic when he turned fourteen. He’s worked on every kind of auto rickshaw, from the ancient Lambretta engined ones and the chain driven Bajaj three wheelers of yore to the current crop of four stroke fuel sippers.

But that’s not what Bhaiji is all about. Go past the scores of yellow and black tri-wheeled contraptions made out of steel and cloth parked at his makeshift workshop, and you’ll catch a glimpse of a Honda Pro Arm shaft driven v-twin 650 standing with its wiring dangling out from its side.