Selvi

Selvi was very neat .When my cooker would whistle and my frying pan would sizzle, music playing , Selvi would enter my house at 6.45 am,sharp,carrying the newspaper from my doorstep with her. She would place it on the table and head off to her
sweeping,mopping,cleaning and washing. She was my house maid.With her around ,my home would be spic and span,swept,dusted ,mopped and washed clothes put to dry .She would happily have her tea and eat what I gave her,sitting in the one corner of our dining room.Then she would head off to the kitchen to wash and dry the vessels. She would finish her set of duties ,listen to news and then say 'Okay,Akka,I will come in the evening'and leave.

She was introduced to me by mami,my neighbour.Few days after she had come to work , to my house, she had told me that her husband passed away 12 years ago. Her husband had lost his land in a family dispute and later died dued to illness.She was forced to leave her village near Madurai and come to Chennai.She lived with her son, daughter,her mother and brother who had come to Chennai much before her.That is all I knew about her.Initially,I never talked much to her or asked her anything, as long as she was regular and did her work ,it was all that mattered.Mami had fixed her pay and terms with me.She worked for us for almost three and a half years.Slowly, I had developed a bond with her.

She was much much older than me but always called me 'Akka'.One morning, she brought me a small packet of fresh loose flowers. When I had first asked her " how much for these ", she had told me " Akka, my son Raju,is joining "curruspandance course" today.He ties flower garlands and delivers flower packets in the evenings, please pray for him ,these flowers are for your God,I won't take money for these".
She would tell me "Akka I have studied upto 9th class and was given 15 tolas of gold for marriage,believe me". Now her neck,ears and wrists were bare. I knew little about her from what she told me from time to time, but, I believed her.

Selvi,had a sense of humour,she would say,"Akka, today I had a fight with my 'daughter's mother-in-law".She was referring to her own mother as her "Sambandhi". The year before,she had married off her only daughter to her own brother.I laughed at this remark of hers and would enquire sometimes " what selvi , today what did your Sambandhi say?". She would give some funny reply,referring to her mother as her daughter's mil. One day she said "my 'Sambandhi' was shouting all morning,I was
running late, I had no time to put the washed clothes on the clothes line,so she was bringing the roof down".

She worked hard to make ends meet.She would stand in queues to fill water from the roadside tank,cook,wash,clean,stand in queues again in ration-shops, buy her groceries and vegetables,work in my house and mami's place,mornings and evenings.She also took care of her aged mother whom she lived with.She would say''my 'sambandi' asks me to take up housework in one or two more houses,but I refused,I want to live for my kids,I don't want to die working before my son is settled in life".

One morning, she asked hesitatingly,"Akka tomorrow I have to go to the hospital with my daughter,she is pregnant,can I get some advance and..... also leave for tomorrow". I asked her "Why Selvi,wouldn't your brother or mother go with her" She said 'now that my daughter is married,things are different,you know"."My brother wants money to buy
an mobile ironing cart,when I said I don't have money he was very angry .I told him to wait till Raju got a job. But he would not listen.He said " Then you can take your daughter and son and go beg ".I was very sorry for her, I gave her some money. She said with self-pride "Akka,but cut it from my salary".

Life was tough for her. After the tsunami and the rains,her small room was a mess,she had told me.Her roof leaking and all her belongings floating."It took weeks to clear the mess",she said.When she saw the 'Kolu'[the dolls and idol display during Navrathri]in my house,she remarked jokingly that "During rains,I had to place my trunk box ,on top of two wooden boxes,just like this Kolu ".I was sad and surprised how could she joke about it .She said "what to do Akka, for two days Raju and me were sitting on top of boxes and we spent the whole night sitting.There were frogs and insects all around, I was scared to put my feet in water.Raju was studying until late",she said. I asked her " but Selvi....you were staying with your mother and brother ".She said "They asked me and Raju to vacate few months back saying "With the baby coming in ,you better make some other arrangement".We found this little place for rent just few months back.It is a good place,Akka,only due to rains....."

She would do all her chores neatly , sometimes those which were not in the list.She would take the magazines and newspaper bundles to the old Newspaper mart nearby.She was one of those who worked more than the money's worth.And never complained.I had no complaints either.I never found her gossiping with other house maids in the colony or demand a raise every two or three months.Sometimes during some festivals,she would willingly do the extra load of work when asked to.Her son Raju,like her,was very hardworking.He was good in his studies.Selvi would beam with pride,saying 'Raju has to bring good name to his father'.

One day she came up to me and said" can I take today evening off,Sugandhi,my friend was calling me for the movie'Thavamai Thavamirundhu'.She,says it is a very very good movie." I said "Selvi,no leave" .....then reluctantly said "okay".The next morning she hadnot turned up.I was irritated,with my chores piling up.When she came that evening ," I said, What is this Selvi,where were you in the morning?".She started weeping. I asked her "what happened,you went for the movie,yesterday ?". She said "Sorry Akka, I was thinking about the movie,I couldn't sleep last night,had a bad headache,it was a very sad story.I will never go for a movie again".

The morning news in tv was her favourite. She would listen intently as if she preparing for some exam.She would also clear her doubts in news,sometimes about newsreaders.One day she asked me " Is she married?" I looked at her and said "Selvi,why are you asking? she said "No I just asked,she is goodlooking,no?".

Whenever my MIL stayed with us,Selvi would give her company, talking to her.She was like a family member.When I told her we are going,on a transfer abroad,she wept ,held my hands and said "I will not get anyone like you and saar,and I will miss paapa,will you come back?".I told her 'We will come back,Selvi.I will pray for you.
God is kind and he will never let you down'.

I was lucky to have her.I don't where she is right now,but I pray for Selvi, hope her son has completed his education and her days of hardship ended.I pray that tsunami never ever hits her life again!

Dear Meera,

It is difficult to get a maid like Selvi nowadays... It is true our own close relations show colours when they become the Sambandhi... What to do.... Money speaks....

Tsunami has affected the lifes of lot of people.... Mya God bless Selvi...

Veda

Dear Meera.

Very nice post .. Nowadys its pretty difficult to get a good maid like Selvi. My maid when I was in Chennai..OMG... I should always keep on watching her duties....Im longing for a maid like Selvi dear.. Hope Atleast I get one in future..

Let God bless Selvi with all happiness through her son...

God bless Selvi. It is very rare to find such warm-hearted people. And Meera, you have eloquently written about Selvi - I could visualise Selvi and Raju sitting on top of boxes! Keep writing!

Regards,
Anitha

Dear Meera,

Nice write-up ... Selvi is a very nice Maid, but it is difficult to see such people now-a-days ... May God Bless her with happiness and Hope her son has completed his Graduation ... Thanks for sharing here Meera...

dear meera,
thats was indeed touching!!!!!
i also pray that selvi has a bright life now!!!!
regards
pavi

hI Meera,
that was a nice write up...lucky u for having her...only in india we form a bond with our maids. like that ..i too had a similar one and like u say would wonder how she could be so cheerful when everyday her husband would come home drunk and beat her up......really , so many of them like that...
Mindi

Very nicely described how well a house-maid comes and sits in our heart forever...eventhough they are rare, they are...
God bless Selvi and her children..

sriniketan

Some of them are so sincere we really can't forget them. In Mumbai we have male top servants and every man is a Rama. Ongatthu Raman enkathu Raman! Our Raman has been working for umpteen years with us. He has seen us growing getting married nad also our children.

One day he complained of severe headache and stomach pain. My sister who is forever kindness incarnate did what she could do. On blood test it was found the man wa suffering fom severe jaunndice. All these servants are from Ratnagiri Dist(Maharashtra) and they solely depend on State Transport buses which takes for a Maharashtra Darshan. After reaching the village the man died within 2 days. We all felt like the demise of a brother who has been with us for a period of 25years!. Todate we can't think of Nattu(Nathuram) without tears. My sister as a small girl used to tease him"Why did you kill Gandhi" and he use to show her the broom.
Some of them as you have mentioned remain a reminiscience of the past. Good people always remain in memory. kanaka

Originally Posted by Vysan

Dear Meera,

It is difficult to get a maid like Selvi nowadays... It is true our own close relations show colours when they become the Sambandhi... What to do.... Money speaks....

Tsunami has affected the lifes of lot of people.... Mya God bless Selvi...

Veda

Veda sir,

Thanks for your kind words. I too learnt this from Selvi's life that even a mother can be partial .

But people like Selvi survive due to prayers.

Thanks and regards,

Meera