The Jovial Maid

This article has been submitted by Arati Ranade for the CLATGyan Blog Post Writing Competition. If you think this article is a good read, ‘Like’ this article on Facebook (the button is at the bottom of this piece) or post a comment using the ‘comments’ section below.

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For all those of you who might have concluded from the title that is a piece with a connect to maybe Vermeer’s “The Milkmaid” or some philosophical chatter (you know those vague titles where one has to interpret so many things, e.g.: Kafka’s A hunger artist) keep reading to dispel your doubts.

I’ve wanted to write about this for two days now days but kept editing the piece in my mind before finally getting to work.

Being a very simple and straightforward person I titled this piece as the “jovial maid” to talk about, exactly that!

At 1pm everyday (and yes Sundays included) my maid comes rushing into the house to get work started  which includes zhadu, pochha and washing the bathrooms. The entire undertaking takes around 50 minutes and mind you, our house is her 4th or the 5th house of the day. So what makes her so special, for me to sit down to write about her at 11:30 in the night? If you’re looking for your answer in the title, then bingo!

“aap jeet gaye hai panch crore rupaye!”

Being with us for over 2 years now, I have never and yes I’m saying it again- never heard our maid whimper, groan or grumble about anything. I know many of you must be thinking that I am exaggerating and since it’s her job she has no right to complain. But it’s true. She never forgets to carry her smile and enthusiasm whenever she comes to work, and these are some of the many things I love about her.

If you meet her it seems as though she is the last person to worry about anything and that her life is as simple as simple can be. However just a while back we found out that she is embroiled in a bitter dispute with her husband who is trying to evict her from her one room home. And I thought I had problems!

She heartily admits that she is deaf (which mind you she is …very !) and that she has studied only up to the 2nd std. But what attracts my attention is the way she goes about doing her chores.

She loves chatting with my grandmother and was overjoyed when she met her after 5 months.

She infuses in me a ‘happy feeling’ and that’s why I love her company.

We buy so many books, watch movies and attend talks to build a positive mindset, but have we ever observed the people around us who might be giving us the same message in a nutshell. I am very thankful that everyday I am reminded through her that it’s not about always being the best, but being happy is equally important.

I sincerely hope that all of you find that special ‘jovial person’ who instills in you the belief that happiness and goodness still exist in this world.