I knew her over two years from now. She is always cheerful,
happy soul having a constant smile on her face. A mother of three sons and the
younger one is of my nephew’s age. They both gel pretty well and my sister encouraged
this little boy to come and play at home during weekends and holidays.
I had the opportunity to spend few weeks at my sister’s
place and that is when I got to understand this house help. She took a week off
from work and went to her home town in Tamilnadu. She told me that, there is
some government housing project to facilitate low income group people to build
their houses. She told me “Akka – a shelter on the head is more than a bare
necessity for me. I can clean the houses and earn 3000 IRN per month now, and
1000INR goes for the rent here. If I can have a house of my own I can work even
at my home town and stay there with my kids. Now elder sons stay with my in-laws
and there are not many more years I can rely on them. So I will take the advance
of INR 3000 from each house I work here and pay the government 25000INR to
sanction me a house.”
Then she did not come home for about 15 days, and of course
we thought she might not come back. One fine morning she came back at 7am and
started working like a normal day. I asked her where was she. She narrated me
another instance of bravery. Her husband and she worked at the site to lay the
foundation and the pillars, as they wanted to ensure the quality of
construction of their new house. She also added, “I am not used to work in the
field any more, but for this house I decided to chip in all my efforts. That
work made me little weak – but you don’t worry, I will ensure your house work
managed smoothly”
The same day in the afternoon she left her younger kid at
our place and told he has the October vacation now and he can’t be left alone
at house. So he will play with my nephew/watch TV, until she completes the work
in all the other houses for about 3-3.5 hours. We were okay with that, as we
all empathize with her struggle to make ends meet at the same time ensuring the
safety and comfort for her child.
Once she completed all other house hold works, she came back
to pick her child, her face was swollen.
She told that she slipped in the bathroom while washing clothes. Her
lips turned blue and we can see the blood patches on her teeth. We offered her some general medicine for pain
and oil, told her to relax a while, if she can.
With all this odds she returned to work next day, with her
little son. But the child really looked dull, she told that, he caught up with
chicken pox. That is something which put us back and we had to tell her not to
bring the boy home and in contact with my nephew, though we knew she can’t keep
him at home alone, neither she can afford to take some time off.
Next day, I left my sister’s place to go to my mom’s place
and then to my sweet home. I don’t know
how she managed the situation, but I am sure she figured out something.
I am amazed at this woman with no education, don’t know even
to count the currency notes, but always positive, no complaints at work or the
life situations. She understands the importance of education and supports her
children to get educated.
Cheers to her exceptional love for life and infinite
positivity. My salute to the exceptional souls around.
