Raju’s first fare of the day was a young couple from Mumbai, Priya and Ankit. They were clutching a selfie stick and a list of “must-see” spots downloaded from Instagram.
That night, Raju sat on his veranda, drinking ginger tea. The hills were quiet again, save for the distant rumble of a late-season bus. His phone buzzed—a message from a number he didn’t recognize. “Need jeep for sunrise. 5 AM. Five people. Is it worth it?” munnar tourist season
On the way back, they passed the main road. Traffic had slowed to a crawl. A tourist in a rented saree was trying to pet a wild bison near the roadside while her husband filmed. A chai wallah was doing record business. And Raju’s friend, Shankar, who ran a homestay, was standing outside with a cardboard sign: “Room Available—Only 15,000 Rupees.” Raju’s first fare of the day was a