Service or Servitude?

How quickly we have become adjusted to the way of life in India.

We eat rotis at every meal, we turn fans on once entering a room, we hang our clothes on the line to dry after the rain, we mix some Hindi words into conversation. 

And in some ways, we are adopting the lifestyle of my family which may not be so typical of the Indian way of living. Cars and drivers at our disposal, food of every kind available, and servants who can do everything for you. That is the one thing I can't get used to, asking someone to do the things I normally do for myself, like washing my own clothes or setting the table. Even as a young kid visiting India, I would wonder why it was seemed unusual to others when I put my dishes in the sink after meals. 

In my aunt's house I have counted 6 women who come and go for cooking and cleaning. Someone will also come to your home for massages, if you wish. There is one woman who is in her seventies and often sits on the floor in the corner while we eat. Her name is Tara Bhen. Each time I look at her, I feel compelled to smile and say thank you and when she smiles a toothy grin at me, I consider the question: Is she happy? Does giving her work and a place to stay ease our guilt or is it generosity? Will there be a time when having servants will not be an option in India?

And maybe it's not just in India. Many families in our Toronto neighbourhood employ nannies to help care for their children. The job may also include cleaning the house, cooking meals or walking the dog. It may involve very little vacation time and hours beyond the 8-9 hours a day that we work.

So, maybe it isn't about the place and service, but really human rights and servitude. I really believe we are obligated to treat each and every human being with dignity and while we can justify that giving people work to do can keep them off the streets, we do not have the right to yell when they make a mistake, embarrass them in front of others and then blame them for a lack of responsibility.

I will continue to be awed by Tara Bhen, who is taking care of 11 foreigners without complaining. When I asked if I could take her picture for this entry, she was reluctant to smile and then later questioned why I was taking her photo. I had to have the message translated because I wanted to make sure it was correct: "Because I want everyone to see you and know how much you do for us."