Spare a thought for domestic workers

DECADES ago, my working parents hired a boy named Lokender to take care of my youngest brother, who was then an infant. He came from the outskirts of our town and was barely an adolescent. Lean and soft-spoken, he carried himself with humility. Over time, he became a part of our family — playing video games with us, chatting during idle hours and handling household chores sincerely.

Despite his tender age, he managed everything with care, even cleaning soiled diapers without complaint. Our grandmother was often harsh and stern with him, yet he never retaliated. My mother, a busy professional, paid him only a meagre sum; despite this, he worked with unwavering dedication. We siblings developed a strong bond with him.

Once, my school organised a trip to Mussoorie; each student who wished to go had to pay Rs 500. I was eager to go, but my father refused to give me the money. Driven by desperation, I secretly took it from his pocket. Scared of being caught, I confessed to Lokender. Without hesitation, he took the blame to protect me. My father not only scolded him but also punished him with beatings.

Lokender accepted it all without any complaint or resistance. His apology prompted my mother to pardon him. He stayed long enough to nurse my grandmother when she suffered a fracture, tending to her every need with compassion. Eventually, he left us after several years of service.

Today, he works in a shoe shop on the town’s outskirts and is married. We still visit him occasionally, and he greets us with the same warm ‘Namaste,’ his humility intact. Despite the ill-treatment he faced in our house at times, he has never held a grudge. When my grandmother passed away, he came to her funeral to pay his respects.

People like him, who serve families out of necessity, often endure demeaning conditions just to make ends meet. Their dignity is overlooked, and their efforts rarely acknowledged. I am deeply moved by the sincerity with which our current domestic help serves our family — without bitterness or regret, despite the hardships.

We must make an earnest effort to treat those who work in our homes not as mere ‘servants’, but as vital contributors to our lives. They deserve fair treatment and recognition. We should go all out to uphold their dignity, self-respect and human rights.

Respect, love and care should define our bond with them. After all, they too are human — children of the same Creator. And truly, ‘Service to man is service to God’.