Slice of life: Being a domestic help, have to go to work even when unwell

I grew up surrounded by green fields everywhere. From the time I could remember things, I have the memory of working at a very young age. I eventually got married and managing the family became my world. Farming wasn’t fetching enough money to survive, so we decided to move to Chennai, where we had to start life from scratch. I started working as a domestic help. It’s been more than 20 years since I first began doing this job. Scrubbing the floor, washing clothes, feeding infants. This has been my routine for all these years. I am 60 now, but the work never ends. 

There is no way I can stop. I have a daughter and three grandsons. Whatever income her family gets, it all goes in fulfilling their needs. I do not want to be a burden to anyone.  I have to keep working for myself, but also to keep myself occupied. There are days when I don’t feel well, but I still have to hold myself up and get to work. But one good thing about working as a domestic help is that I haven’t put on weight (laughs). Having worked for so many years, I cannot sit idle. I live in Kosapet and travel to areas like Vepery and Purasawalkam to work. But I have made some good friends with whom I share my sorrows and happiness. It’s because of them that I get along with the day.