Three-quarters of the world's homes have a
fridge - an appliance that can revolutionise a
family's life. A tailor in one Indian village has
just become the first person in his community to
own one - something he has dreamed of for 10
years.
Santosh Chowdhury is pacing up and down
speaking into his mobile phone.
"How much longer? It's left past the auto-
rickshaw stand, yes that's right," he shouts, and
then continues his nervous pacing.
It's a big day for him and indeed for the village
of Rameshwarpur, just outside Calcutta in north-
east India.
Santosh has bought a new fridge - not just his
first but also the first in the entire community of
200 people. "Owning a fridge is quite rare in a
village like ours," he says.
The lack of fridges in Rameshwarpur reflects the
situation across the whole of India. Only one in
four of the country's homes has one. That
compares to an average of 99% of households in
developed countries.
But change can be rapid when linked to an
emerging middle class. In 2004, 24% of
households in China owned a fridge. Ten years
later this had shot up to 88%.
"Ours is the first generation to own a fridge in
my family," says Santosh. "No one in my father's
and grandfather's time had ever seen one."
Rameshwarpur has a distinctly rural feel. People
bathe in a pond in the middle of the village,
children fly kites in the dusty lanes. The homes
are little more than simple huts, made of mud
and brick. But the village has electricity and
many houses have televisions.
Santosh works as a tailor. He lives in a modest,
two-room hut which doubles as his home and
workplace. "I don't have a regular job as such,"
he says. "Sometimes I also work part-time in a
factory. I make about three to four dollars a
day."
Life is quite hard, especially for his wife
Sushoma.
She cooks lunch, stirring a pot of rice on a wood
fire outside their hut. It's something she does
every day because they have no way of storing
leftovers. So Santosh has to go the market early
each morning to shop for groceries.
He's always wanted to make life easier for his
wife and has been dreaming of buying a fridge
for 10 years. "Owning one will be so convenient,"
he says. "You don't have to buy vegetables every
day, you can store food - especially in the
summer."
So he's been saving hard, putting away a bit of
money every month for a purchase that costs
more than a month's salary. "I don't make that
much money, that's why it's taken me so long.
But now I have enough," he says, smiling.
At one of Calcutta's high street stores, about
15km from his home, Santosh had several
models to choose from. Peering inside, he ran
his fingers along the side of a bright red model.
"It was quite confusing. It was my first time you
know. I couldn't figure out which one to get," he
says shyly. "My wife wanted a red one. I wanted
one that will consume the least power. We need
to keep our bills down."
Finally, the deal was struck. Santosh got a
discount because it was the final week of the
winter sales. The price was 11,000 rupees
(£120) - but more importantly, he was able to
pay in instalments, having paid just under half
the money up front.
"No one pays cash any more like they used to,"
says store manager Pintoo Mazumdar. "Everyone
can get a loan from the bank or the store - all
you need is a bank statement and ID. That's why
so many lower income people can afford to buy
a fridge these days."
Santosh's fridge finally arrives on the back of a
cycle rickshaw. He walks along next to it with a
broad smile. Many of the villagers come out on
to the lane as well, craning their necks to get a
better look.
"Careful, careful," he cries out as a couple of
them help carry the fridge into his house.
Then it's time for a religious ceremony.
His wife applies a dab of vermillion to the fridge,
to keep away evil spirits, and then blows on a
conch shell to seek divine blessings and
welcome the fridge into their home. The fridge
has pride of place - next to Santosh's sewing
machine and their tiny television set.
They simply cannot stop smiling.
"We've dreamt of this moment for so long," says
his wife Sushoma. "Some of our neighbours have
already asked us if they, too, can store some
food in our fridge. "And I can't wait to drink cold
water in the summer."
As Santosh shows off his fridge everyone crowds
around, excited. "Imagine, they won't have to
shop for fresh vegetables every day," says one
woman. "I'm thinking of getting one too,"
another man says.
It's a special moment for the Chowdhurys. This
acquisition could potentially transform their lives.
"I can focus on finding more work and not worry
about buying food for the family," Santosh says.
"My wife will get more free time and perhaps she
can give me a hand as well."
With those words, he opens his fridge and places
the first contents inside - tomatoes, an
aubergine, eggs and some milk.
Santosh's fridge finally arrives on the back of a
cycle rickshaw. He walks along next to it with a
broad smile. Many of the villagers come out on
to the lane as well, craning their necks to get a
better look.
"Careful, careful," he cries out as a couple of
them help carry the fridge into his house.
Then it's time for a religious ceremony.
His wife applies a dab of vermillion to the fridge,
to keep away evil spirits, and then blows on a
conch shell to seek divine blessings and
welcome the fridge into their home. The fridge
has pride of place - next to Santosh's sewing
machine and their tiny television set.
They simply cannot stop smiling.
"We've dreamt of this moment for so long," says
his wife Sushoma. "Some of our neighbours have
already asked us if they, too, can store some
food in our fridge. "And I can't wait to drink cold
water in the summer."
As Santosh shows off his fridge everyone crowds
around, excited. "Imagine, they won't have to
shop for fresh vegetables every day," says one
woman. "I'm thinking of getting one too,"
another man says.
It's a special moment for the Chowdhurys. This
acquisition could potentially transform their lives.
"I can focus on finding more work and not worry
about buying food for the family," Santosh says.
"My wife will get more free time and perhaps she
can give me a hand as well."
With those words, he opens his fridge and places
the first contents inside - tomatoes, an
aubergine, eggs and some milk.
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