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DOMESTICS - ubiquitous and indispensable
A child working as a domestic in a household. --Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam.
R.K. Laxman, in his book 'Servants of India', takes a dig at the middle and the upper classes of society on how they would run out of steam if the age-old tradition of having domestic servants ceases to exist. According to him, these domestics practically run the show at home, especially in the metros where both husband and wife are in busy earning the family bread. Their world would go topsy-turvy if these servants who are called by different names like Bai, Rama, Amma and Rani in different States go on a flash strike. The same is the case with this city also.
Who are these people?
They comprise mainly women from the below poverty line segment. Most domestics are concentrated in areas like Kobbarithota, Burma Camp near Kancharapalem, Howrah Bridge in the Old Town area and other city slums. They are mostly married or teenagers who take up the work to support their family. While they go for work in different households their menfolk are into jobs like driving autorickshaws or working as plumbers or as daily wagers. Most domestics work for more than 12 hours a day throughout the year, rain or shine, for a paltry yield of Rs.800 to 1,000 a month.
"Our work starts from 6 a.m. Most of us work in three or four households for two shifts. We do all the work in a house right from sweeping and scrubbing the floor to washing of clothes and from dish washing to running small errands or even cooking, and at the end of the month we get Rs.250 to Rs.300 from each household," says Lakshmi, a domestic from Burma Camp.
Types of servants
The domestics categorise themselves into different types, but also change their terms and conditions depending upon the area of work and the type of verbal contract they enter into. "In general we are the master of all tasks, but at times we do take up specialised jobs like baby sitting and house keeping," says Jyothi, who also lives in the Burma Camp area and works as a governess in a house located in the posh Kirlampudi Layout.
The wages depend on the area and the nature of work. In areas like MVP Colony, Seethammadhara and Murali Nagar the rate varies from Rs.200 to Rs.400 a month, while the same goes up to Rs.600 in areas like Kirlampudi Layout and Waltair Uplands. "If the job is confined to the day-to-day domestic work, then we charge anything between Rs.200 to Rs.600 depending on the area and how rich our masters are. For any specialised work, our rate could go beyond Rs.1,500. Apart from that, we charge for any additional work. For example, during festive seasons, the housewife might request me for cleaning all the windows and doors. But at times this additional charge also depends on how good the owners are, if we have been working at the same place for a long period and taken care of well. In that case, the charges need not apply. We are human beings after all and everything depends on the relationship," says Jyothi with a smile.
Other perks
Keeping emotions aside, the wage is not all that they insist; they are very clear about their list of other demands at the time of entry. The conditions are: Apart from the salary every household should offer a cup of tea or coffee in the morning and in the evening with something for breakfast. If the work hours extend beyond the lunch hour on any day then they expect a proper square meal. At the time of annual celebrations like Dasara, Deepavali, Pongal or Id or for any festival, they are entitled to a new dress.
People have become so much dependent on them that most of them succumb to their demands that at times become unreasonable. Says Mamata Joshi, a housewife living in a Beach Road apartment: "None of the families in our apartment complex could do without their help. And taking stock of the situation these domestics at times put up strange demands like 'My daughter's wedding has been fixed, I need Rs.10,000 as advance', or 'My son has joined school, enhance my monthly pay by Rs.200 with immediate effect', etc. If we do not agree then they threaten to quit and, by chance, if we go to the extent of removing them, then all the domestics in the building would form some sort of union and virtually threaten to launch a strike."
Countering her allegation, Lakshmi says, "Why shouldn't we do, especially when we are in demand. Moreover, we do not demand anything unreasonable after putting almost 12 hours of hard work. We are being exploited as we are unorganised and do not have any recognised union or body to fight for us."
Talking of exploitation, the most hounded among the domestics are children. They are subjected to various forms of physical, mental and even sexual abuse. Over the years reports have been generated on how they are lured from villages with the promise of food, clothing and shelter and later subjected to inhuman treatment. "The mistress of the house where I was baby sitting told me to prepare roti for lunch one day. In the process a couple of rotis were over-roasted and the woman was so annoyed that she forcibly put my right palm on the hot tawa until the skin peeled off," says Devi, a seven-year-old orphan, who has been living with her aunt in the slum behind Neelammavepu Chettu area.
Crime
If exploitation gives one side of the story then criminal accusations form the other. "We become the first subject of suspicion the moment any item is lost or stolen from the house. We are not only questioned by the owners but at times even the police harass us based on the complaint. It is true that there are some stray cases like recent alleged murder of Chopra madam by her cook, but those cooks and servants come from the other States who do not have a base here. Based on a few stray cases the entire community of domestics should not be blamed," says Bharathi of Burma Camp.
In metros like New Delhi and Mumbai the police have launched a servant verification scheme, as this population constitutes the biggest network in the crime world over there.
Whatever be the pros and cons and advantages and disadvantages, domestics have come to stay. "My servant is part of my house. He has been with us since last 30 years. In fact my children call him 'chacha'," says P. Basu of Madhavdhara.
Well, the relationship between the owner and the servant in India is a paradox of sorts.
SUMIT BHATTACHARJEE
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