Maids : Poising our homes

Every Nani, Dadi, Chachi, Mausi, Mummy ji, Aunty Ji swear by them. Vital components of balancing every household, she is like the life line. Nomenclature for addressing her is usually her name suffixed with Bai, Amma, Akka, Didi, Di, Maashi, Mausi, Kaki, Tai (indicating provincial lineage). Imagine veritably without them we would have to dust, sweep, swab, wash. They are absolutely unavoidable and an inevitable part of our day to day lives.

Clad in a sarees, (mostly synthetic or cotton) her petticoat and blouse are always contrasting. These days the newer generation of maids have a new dress code the chudidaar or nighties, ofcourse both the attires have one thing in common the duppata! One finds many variants in typical urban setting today. There are full time maids or part time maids; all rounder’s who along with housework can specialize as a dhobi, cook, baby sitter, gardener etc. Maids also are of different age groups. Some of them live in with the families, others in the outhouse and some even independently on their own.

Hiring is a maid is tougher than finding job. Leave no stones unturned…ask the security, press walah, neighbors and friends. If your star forecast is good then chances are a few will turn up. Once you explain to them what needs to be done, they will narrate on how all the other kind households hardly gives them work but pays them high. Whatever you offer to pay will never be enough for them and what they will ask will make you wonder whether its better to be out your profession and opt for theirs! Then after much negotiation different terms and conditions are agreed upon, the pay, the work timings, number of holidays and festival bonuses. You heave a deep sigh of relief at the completion of step one. Maid is hired!!

Following days you look at the clock around the arrival time; if it is beyond arrival time the tension starts mounting, thoughts of whether she will turn up  haunt the mind. Then you cross your fingers and pick the phone and dial her number frantically. The possibilities now are endless, either her mobile says “Switched Off”…tension picks up in your mind (so much work undone, will she come? How long to wait? Shall I start?) or the other possibility phone rings  ( a loud ringtone so typical …either the latest regional hit song or some devotional song) and you pray in your hearts that she picks up her phone…here there are three options . First she doesn’t pick her phone (You hope she is commuting to your house and she can’t hear her phone ring), second some one else picks up the phone and tells you that she is not well or some distant relative passed away so she is off to her native and the last option is that she picks it and tells you she is coming to work but late (What a relief…what a good news). Have you sensed the elation when everyday you open the door to her?

People can go to any extent these days to keep their maids happy. Giving them rooms with cable TVs, taking them for family dinners, latest movies, trips just anything to appease them in case they search greener pastures. All this is an effort to prevent attrition, as they leave without any notice periods and any valid reasons.  Percentage annual hikes are another reason for contention. Asking for advance is another common tendency. Give annual hikes, leaves, perks and advance and they shall hopefully be happy.

Maids shall soon become a privilege for the select few who have the riches. We have to find a way then to get over our overdependence on them. Think positive - self help is the best help……it gives opportunity to burn calories and makes our health better at no cost!