The indispensable domestic helpers

DOMESTIC helpers make our life easier and less hectic. They are almost indispensable to working couples and the elderly.

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My family has been fortunate to have had very good helpers. The first one I remember is Ram Dhani, who came as a boy from Bihar to work for my parents. My mother trained him painstakingly, and he gradually became a sort of all-rounder.

I had a love-hate relationship with him because if I did some mischief, he would report it to my mother, and she would then scold me. Once, I took revenge by putting a live earthworm in his mouth while he was sleeping.

As children, we were taught to treat him not as a servant but a family member. When I got married and Usha came as a bahu in our home, she touched Ram Dhani’s feet.

When Tulsi Ram joined our household, he was my age. We played cricket for several years. Before he retired, he brought his son, Dhanji Ram, to work with us. Dhanji is still with us, as sincere and loyal as his father.

Shambhu worked for our family for a long time as well. After my mother’s untimely demise, he became a caregiver and companion for Babuji and even travelled with him in India and abroad.

When we came to Chandigarh in 1960, our first car driver was Sohan Singh. He lovingly taught driving skills to both my sons. He stayed with us for almost 30 years until cancer claimed his life. Another faithful driver, Ram Singh, joined us in 1985 and worked till 2013. He stopped driving when his vision became poor.

Domestic helpers are a good example of unity in diversity. They come from different parts of India, speak different languages, have their own customs and food habits. But here they live as one family, caring for us and caring for each other. Currently, our ‘man Friday’ is from Uttar Pradesh. Our cook hails from Odisha. Our maid is from Assam, the driver from Himachal Pradesh, our most trusted housekeeper is from Uttarakhand, the washerwoman from Jharkhand and the gardener from Bihar. All have been with us for decades.

Like all relationships, it is a give-and-take between us and our domestic helpers. If they are caring, we also do our bit for them.

Years back, instead of performing Kanjak Puja during Navratri, we adopted nine girls of our staff members, opened small savings accounts in their names and put money every year until they became adults and could use it wisely. We also helped daughters of our driver and gardener get nursing training; both are now well-employed. We take care of their needs and problems — financial, medical, house repairs, employment and marriage of their children.

Nevertheless, what we do for them is minuscule compared to what they do for us. They give the best part of their lives for us and our children, making a sacrifice in many ways. A big salute to our super domestic helpers.