Domestic Help. Maid. Kaamwali
Bai (Henceforth referred to as “Bai”)..
as she is called in Mumbai. Presenting to you.. a tribute by Channel V to Mum-bai-waali-bai..
The house-keeping or the more commonly used “Bai” industry is in great demand in
today’s fast moving modern world. The husband and wife go to earn and the house
maintenance and cleaning falls in the hands of the bai. Bachelors living in a group far from their respective
hometowns find bai as a boon to their
messy and unorganized structure of living.
I remember the time when I first moved to Mumbai and was
staying with a bunch of guys from work. A decision was made and the security
guards were requested to send any bai
that they encounter straight to our apartment. The next day we had an aspirant
who viewed this as a job prospect. She confidently agreed to our demands and
picked up the broom to show us her talent.
She had hardly spanned one sixth of the 3 BHK flat when she
threw the broom to the floor and called out to us. Before we could fathom the
situation and get her in our line of sight, we could only hear her fading
voice.. “Ghar bahut bada hai. Mujhse nahi
hoga. Main jaati..” (The apartment is too huge. I won’t be able to do it.
I’m leaving.) We never saw her after this encounter.
The bai that we’ve
currently employed comes on every alternate day although she had promised to
come every day. But her work is satisfactory. She comes in the morning as and
when she desires and leaves quickly after doing her work. First of every month
is her payday. I’ve noticed this over the months that whenever we pay her
salary, she does not come the next day. I don’t know what she does that day.
Maybe she goes out partying with her ‘bai’
friends or goes clubbing to some “Laavni” themed nightclub.
Our bai is cool
and lenient when it comes to unkempt and disheveled rooms. In contrast, my
friend’s bai scolds him if the house is unclean. I mean.. Excuse me! If we could have done that on our own, we wouldn’t
require hiring you in the first place! That is your job, lady!
My friend was once imparting knowledge about his bai wherein he mentioned that his bai was very dedicated to her work.
Anything outside the perimeter of the mattress (placed on the floor) was taken
away and dumped in the dustbin. Even if that thing is partially on the mattress
with a majority part of it outside the boundary of the mattress, you could bid
goodbye to that thing. Such dedication and hardwork has made my friend lose
high utility possessing commodities like cigarettes, lighters, earphones and
the like.
The demand for bai
is high as compared to the supply and efficient resources available. This has
made their attitude a bit arrogant and cocky. For instance, just a few days
back, our bai came up to one of my
roommates and said.. “From 13th
May onward, I will be on leave till the 5th of June. And as per the
Union, you are not allowed to cut my salary for any leaves taken in the month
of May.” (Of course, she said it in Hindi! Duh!)
Nowadays, bais
demand gifts. Back home, I remember our bai asking my mom for a Diwali gift!
As my mom delayed the gifting event, it could be seen that her work and
productivity came down day by day. A few days later this percentage plummeted
to less than 50% which was conspicuous in her work. My mom then had to go
hunting for a suitable gift for her. When this gift was given, her productivity
shot up from the very next day like how the happiness of a long-lost thirsty Indian stranded in the Sahara Desert soars on seeing an oasis after weeks. This entire attitude was displayed because of
the lack of bai resources in and
around my locality. It was like she had a monopoly.
Bai seems to be an
important and integral part of a busy household. One day she doesn’t report and
the house experiences some tiding irregularities. We are dependent on her
directly and indirectly. Some say that they can manage without her but they
won’t be able to live a relaxing balanced life after a couple of weeks.
Different bais have different
attitudes and approach to things. There is nothing much that we can do about it.
However, we can think before we act on hiring a bai. We should hire a bai who
won’t run away because the house is too huge or someone who won’t steal your
valuables from your house. Hire someone who
understands the way that you live. Someone who tidies the rooms without any
hassles but not "too dedicated" to her work. Someone who does not fill up with rage every time an untidy
place is encountered. Someone who does not scold you early morning thereby ruining your mood and leading you to vent out your anger on some innocent
civilian. Someone who is sedate and calm. Keep a calm-waali bai!
