Social Justice

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In my 56 plus years of life, I've seen at least 56 domestic helpers who came for doing household chores like scrubbing the vessels, washing clothes and sweeping/wiping the floor. Yet, one lady called Shanthi is always memorable not only for the service she rendered to our family for over 4 decades, but also that she had few unique antics and expressions that she showed unassumingly!

My late father, a great humourist of all times used to ask mother, Where is our Puna Sundari?". He meant how she would pronounce 'Guna Sundari', a character from a story which also was made into a Telugu film in the late Forties. She would also call 'Gargasda Podi'(Saw dust) as 'Circusda podi' and that's true because I've heard from my own ears, her pronouncing like that.

My mother was a movie buff and since my father was too busy with his profession, he used to either send one of the boys with her to watch the movies or Shanthi used to accompany her. She wouldn't demand more than a lemonade and a packet of 'Masale Kadle' while watching the movies.

Thus, Shanthi also had the recognition as mother's most reliable and economical companion!

Shanthi also did her job well. I can say, better than what we expected from a domestic helper those days when they used to stay full day at our place, wash clothes and clean vessels that used to get heaped by 10-12 members in the house, do cleaning of the 4000 plus Sq Ft Red Oxide floor, remove cob webs, sweep the front and back yard and finally wash the toilet and bath room! When Shanthi did her job, the floor, the clothes and the vessels used to be spotlessly clean. She did all that using well water and there was no pump fitted but a wooden wheel called 'Raate' to draw water from the well.

One can imagine the plight of domestic helpers those days. Vessels were mostly tinned copper and Brass that needed intensive scrubbing with coconut fiber and ash. Soap they got was mostly Bar Soap with heavy percentage of alkalies that used to corrode the skin on the finger and toe joints, leading to fungal infection and pain. Mother used to give them ointments/creams like Saibal or B-Tex but they had no rest. Hence the wounds/lesions would not heal for a long time. It was really pathetic but those days, this was the common scene. Shanthi too obviously had similar problems but she used to endure the pain and do her duty with love and dedication.

One Sunday in the year 1969, I got ready to go out, and searched for my newly purchased light Brown Bata Hawaii slippers. They were not in their usual corner on the verandah. Since there were many other pairs of slippers and shoes in that corner, I took some time to search for mine but in vain. I asked my immediate elder brothers if any of them have seen my slippers. They both nodded and said no. I was totally upset that I had to go out urgently and my slippers were missing. I had no other slippers or shoes of my own then, since it was vacation for school, and we normally purchased leather slippers and rain shoes just before the schools reopened.

Then someone said "I just saw Shanthi wearing a pair of new Hawaii slippers. Could be yours!"

I was shocked. Though we had compassion and attachment for those helpers, we'd never imagine any of them wearing our things without seeking permission! I got wild, went straight to the back yard of the house and saw Shanthi with a broad smile, doing duck walk, wearing my No.7 slippers, spreading Sholapur Bed Sheets on the clothes line for drying!

I shouted aloud "What is this! Who gave you permission to wear my slippers?"

Shanthi looked around and was surprised to see a furious me scolding her. She stammered a bit and replied in a low voice "Raayare, I was having intense pain in my feet due to skin infection. My slippers are spoilt and I saw these idle and thought I will wear them for a while. I will scrub them with soap, wash them properly and give them back to you. Please wait for some time."

I was still furious. I said, she had no business to wear my slippers and she's not supposed to touch my belongings without my permission!"

She started to cry and she said "Raayare, I have looked after you like my own baby since the day you were born. Will I do anything wrong? Today by mistake I wore your slippers. Please pardon me. I won't repeat it. I thought you are like my own son and you will understand the plight I am going through."

That suddenly had an impact on my cool attitude! I was never angry with Shanthi or anyone else in my life for material wants. What hurt me most was her taken for granted attitude towards me. I realised my mistake and felt truly sorry for her. She being from a poor working class family was not supposed to learn formalities we expected from her. When our wants are fulfilled immediately on demand by our parents for a comfortable living, don't the workers too deserve those facilities? Life is not one way traffic. It should be give and take. Workers are not slaves. If we don't have social justice, is it possible to have domestic helpers like Shanthi slog for us selflessly?
I then consoled her, told her that those slippers are hers and she need not worry about washing them or returning them to me. I also told her that I will buy a new pair for myself. She wept like a small girl for some time and then wiped the tears with her saree end and smiled. The happy look in her eyes was indeed a sight to watch!