Being Free

Freedom is contagious.

- Roohi Bhatnagar

It doesn't spread by touch, or microorganisms. It spreads by something more powerful – self-awareness. I realised this recently when Sivamma came knocking at my door around midnight to seek shelter for the night as she had left her husband. Sivamma was my maid.

"I think I should let her go. It is impossible to communicate with her. It is not going to work,” I had complained to Arun nine months back.

"You have to adjust to having this one, Naina. This is the fourth one and you should now know it is not easy to get maids in this area,” Arun replied calmly still typing on his laptop. He was right. Staying in a highend apartment can solve most but not all the problems people face in our developing country. We still need a workforce to help in our household chores, especially when both of us are working.

It has been just 3 months in Bangalore and Sivamma was my fourth maid. She spoke and understood only Kannada. I somehow managed using Google translator. Our conversation was limited to monosyllables and sign language. It was sometimes funny, sometimes frustrating. I was relieved that there was no gossip coming in or going out of my house. Our relationship was thoroughly professional and hence, Sivamma ended up working for all this time in my house until a day before when suddenly she told me that she won’t be coming to work from next day. I was devastated. I tried giving her a hike, vacation, everything. But she wanted nothing and gave no reason for her sudden exit except a sad look.