Do You Take Your Kaamwali Bai (Domestic Help) For Granted When She Has Your Back?

Your kaamwali bai is probably the most important person outside your family – you can do all that you do probably because she is there.

We need to spare a thought towards the angels who make our lives easier at the cost of their own health and life, all because they have no choice. But we can make things easier for them by not taking them for granted and being considerate and compassionate towards them.

They wake up very early, run against time to fetch water for their homes and families. Wake up their kids, cook breakfast, lunch, prepare tiffins, wake up his highness, serve him as he pleases.

Most of these husbands don’t work, are alcoholics, good for nothing abusers who often refuse to shoulder any responsibility as a husband, father, family person or even as a human, yet lay stake to all their rights including their wives’ hard earned money and the few breaths of respite they might steal for themselves. Turning them into baby making machines, while adorning the symbols of a suhaagan (despite the constant abuse by their husbands, some still are proud of these symbols and some carry them due to the fear and pressure of their community – a community which nonchalantly accepts such a mis-treatment of their women).

Then starts the walk, the waiting for the bus, managing to ride on the bus amidst the packed commuters, groping hands, lascivious stares.

Reach the work place, greet the inhabitants, have a glass of water and get right down to work. Might get scolded or mistreated by the bosses or misbehaved with by the male/s in the household. All the while thinking of the many responsibilities that await her at home.

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All this since many many decades and now added to this hard hard life of theirs – the cash crunch and mandatory aadhar card for each member of the family (else no access to facilities, not even admission in schools) for which they are being charged Rs.300/ aadhar card.

And we frown on the few holidays they take or are late for work, just because it inconveniences us. Women empowerment? While we pursue our dreams, desires and ambition without worrying about our home and family, because our kaamwali bai /maid /help has got our back.

And this we consider as progress and dream and boast about becoming a super power as a nation, when a large percentage of women are still living oppressively.

So what are you going to do about this, ladies?

Image source: flickr, for representational purposes only.

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