Indian Domestic Help





Have a domestic help at home?Most of the typical middle class Indian families with a working lady in the house invariably have one.That is one of the luxuries which Indians living abroad miss.

There were Indian families which had the same lady working for them for two generations.However,this has become very rare these days with lot of changes sweeping across India.In most of the households today,maids last for a maximum of a few years.Not only that,it is also becoming difficult to get maids these days.With the desire for upward mobility among the underprivileged becoming more day by day,many people have stopped taking up such jobs.With better education and job opportunities beckoning them,the next generation of my mother's maid is not interested in such kind of menial jobs.Not that I am complaining.I am more than happy for the children of the maid my mother employed.And,thanks to technology,we have reached a stage where we can manage with washing machines and dishwashers.There are many families who have stopped employing any household help and are happy with machines doing the jobs.



Still,due to our way of life,we are not able to depend fully on washing machines or dishwashers.For example,a salwar with all zardosi work cannot be just dumped into the washing machine.Or say,a kadai with strong grease stains will not come out spic and span in a dishwasher.And do we really have the time to keep washing all these?Yes,if you are really motivated enough to do all the stuff yourself.But a little help doesn't hurt.Does it?


So we still prefer having a maid to do that for us.That is,if you are lucky enough to get one.
I have seen families struggling to get some help but not finding any.I was also in same situation few years back.Without help at home,it is tiring to manage a family,a kid and office work.Thankfully,I have been employing one lady for the past few years.She joined us when I was carrying and couldn't do strenuous work.Impressed by her work,I retained her after delivery too.When I shifted houses,I requested her to come to the new place also.She gladly agreed.

Now,I see that she has become the VIP of the apartment.Once I moved in to the new place,I recommended her to my neighbours.Now she works in at least six to seven flats in the same apartment.One day she is late,and I have the whole apartment searching for her.I wonder how she manages to work in so many houses without getting tired.Superwoman really!

Maybe a day will come when even such help is not needed and we will have machines which can handle Indian garments with delicate embroidery and dishwashers which can remove the strongest of oil stains.No longer will maids be needed.Also,by that time,the few remaining maids also would have moved out with better education and opportunities.

Till then,the Indian maid rocks! 

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Written for Day 13 of BlogChatter HalfMarathon

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