How do I serve you Master?

“First should we walk or hit the gym?” I asked Charles.
“Let’s walk first. That way I’ll loosen up”.

We had just crossed the milestone. “Sir do you know, Chutki has left working for us?” Charles asked me
“Oh! But you’d earlier said she wasn’t keeping well?”
“Actually there was a small altercation between Mini and Chutki. Mini, irritated by Chutki ticked her off and told something to the effect of not wanting her anymore. She’s not coming to work after that”
“Oh!”
“Mini’s now planning to go to the Chief and telling him could a CPL behave like THAT!”
“Hmm…”
“We pay them so much. If we were in IMTRAT we’d have paid a fraction of what we pay here. And, those servants are much easier to handle!”
I had nothing to say to that.

Once we were back from walk and the gym, we headed to Charles’ house. “Sir, come home. We could have nimboo-paani”. I couldn’t resist. The earlier scene repeated with Mrs. Charles recounting her woes due to her maid!
“I’d want to ask the Chief, how could a CPL behave like this!” and more.

I walked back home. After dinner as I was pacing up and down I thought about the state of maids/menservants working not just at Dantak but elsewhere. True today in India – especially in Mumbai – there are associations of people working at homes. They also are demanding for certain basic rights – like casual leave, medical facilities, etc. And, these associations also are trying to provide the community help.

We expect our maids/menservants to listen to us completely, subserviently and unstintingly. We are exacting. We want them to not question anything. Just do it, is the policy. Do it as I say. They should maintain a distance in every aspect. They also have to be insulted periodically for not being good enough. And to show off our own benevolence too. “If anyone else had you as a maid/servant, you’d have been unemployed by now. I’ve been nice to you, and you will do well to understand and remember it” is one of the most common reproaches heard in almost every home across the country.

Anything goes missing at home (even due to our own fault) the first finger of accusation points at the maid/servant. “Did you see my purse?” “Where has my blue shirt vanished?” “What happened to all the milk that was there?” are questions heard daily across households. They are monitored perennially. Rebuke and reprimand are the rewards they get regularly for their efforts to keep our houses clean and functional.

The lot of those that work for the Army Officers is even worse. Maids/servants are ‘trained’ to be servile, ultra-obedient. When a glass of water is served, it better be on a tray, with the maid/servant bowing sufficiently, eyes looking at the ground and with one hand behind her/his back! They better offer/serve/give anything with both hands or face the consequences – ranging anywhere from a nasty abuse to a slap across the face. Small price to pay of course for the prestige of working for an officer! And, come to think of it the same officers would take their dogs in official vehicles as they need some fresh air!

(In Bhutan the Army Officers are paid a whopping Rs.10,500 as Servants’ Allowance (it’s not available for other officers; half-hearted efforts are on to set the anomaly right) to hire two servants/maids. Most officers hire just one and at the most pay Rs.2300 per month but declare through a certificate that they’re hiring two servants and are paying them Rs.5K each!)

We however do take pride in our contribution to the welfare of these people! We gloat over the old clothes or shoes that we ‘donate’ to them. Or the odd ration that’s given away (that was anyway in excess or inedible).

It’s not that maids/servants aren’t at fault at all. Or that they don’t commit mistakes. But then who doesn’t? Are we all free from faults? ‘Doodh mein dhule!” But how dare one compare oneself (or even worse, another officer) with a maid? It’s sacrilege! Anytime a maid/servant appears in the newspapers it's when there's a theft or a murder. And, they'd be the prime suspects. The first thing we hear in conversations after that would be, "God, it's so unsafe to hire helps these days. You can't trust them. All of them are either thiefs or murderers". But when a story appears in the media informing about a son/daughter committing the same against parents none actually makes a statement, "Gosh! You can't trust your young ones anymore! I don't want to have a child" or "I'm planning to banish my children as I'm scared that they might do that to me!" At most one would utter, "Such unfortunate parents to have such a son/daughter". No more!

Is a maid/manservant not entitled to have ego or self-respect? Can’t we treat them like human beings? May be it’s too much to ask!