Ilakya

I am back here after about 8 months. An acquaintance went through all my blogs and encouraged me to get back at it. Apart from the casual texts from some followers who like my work, and random reads which talk about how people reduce fostering their artistic talents as they grow older, I thought it best that I keep at this. So today I write about someone I see every day but don’t know too much about. Ilakya, the maid.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I say ‘maid’ is how some people treat them, as though they are an inferior lot just because they clean. I would say otherwise, a few days without the maid and the house is in pieces! And when she comes back the next time and does her job, the house looks brand new. Even the air of the house feels fresh! Not so lowly maids anymore, right? We can’t stay without them in India!

So about Ilakya, I know that she has a husband and two kids. She is my age, 33 and has a completely different set of responsibilities when compared to me. She is kind and calm and nothing really deters her sense of balance. My Mom keeps telling me, she’s the only maid who has come to the house who doesn’t gossip. She has met a lot worse. Apart from doing her regular work of cleaning and washing, she also helps Mom with folding clothes, dusting cupboards and giving some great leg massages from time to time. She’s been with us for about 5 years now and I think she’s established this sense of trust in Mom with the quality of the work she does and her demeanor. Her husband helps around too, incase Mom needs someone to drive her around to buy groceries or get other work done. Of course, Mom and I are very generous with the compensation she gets, not to mention us taking care of her children’s online classes during the time of the pandemic.

She comes into the house, oh so quietly, like a wisp of smoke. There have been some days during work from home, when I didn’t even realize she had come and gone, only to come out to the hall during a break to see the entire house sparkling! I would then know who had just come and gone.

I remember the only time she actually spoke a word to me was on New Years Day when she wished me. I was quite surprised, but happy too. I don’t know of too many conversations she has with my Mom either. But I do know she mentioned to my Mom that I should get settled with a man who is as gentle as I am. I found that quite sweet.

She is also trust worthy to a level where Mom trusts her to keep the home dust free even when we are on a long vacation. She takes the keys from our neighbor, cleans the house and then gives the keys back promptly. So we always come back to a spic and span home. Not to mention, that she takes care of our balcony garden too while we are away.

I should also state the fact that she was the sole earning member of her family during the lockdown as her husband lost his job. She stuck to her job and provided her family food, education and a comfortable home to live in while working hard.

I don’t think I know more than that about her. Maybe I should ask…