What inspires one to hire a maid? Does the inspiration come from our upper-class society where it is a status symbol to have a maid for the kids?
Today, maids are more in demand than anyone else. Full-time maids charge nothing less than Rs3,000 per month, at times rising up to even Rs5,000, depending on bargaining power, competence and expertise. The maid is the topic of hot discussions in almost every social gathering, be it that of grief or joy. Even telephone conversations and e-mails have them being discussed.
The magic of maids spreads unanimously. The ease of getting household work done by word of mouth; the comfort of knowing that children back home are in the safe hands of maids, and thus the liberty of getting to socialize more with friends are only a few of the obvious reasons for such a high demand of well-trained, professional maids.
What inspires one to hire a maid? Does the inspiration come from our upper-class society where it is actually a status symbol to have a maid for the kids? Or is it the dire need to rest after a strenuous day that compels a working mom to engage a maid? The answers remain unanswered.
It is true that maids provide motivation and one must try to benefit from it. Some would rather opt for “kitty parties” and be regular in social gatherings, while others would be motivated to pursue their careers and/or acquire further education. Whatever the case, the maid is there to tackle domestic tasks methodically and expertly.
While the propensity of hiring maids has become something of a fashion in society, it is important to understand that searching for maids is a three-step venture: finding a responsible and trustworthy maid; training her well and pleasing her enough so that she doesn’t run away. The last one being the most difficult and most important.
Finding a maid is done through ladies who supply maids on commission basis, or at times on recommendations of the maids of acquaintances.
Training is not too difficult a task. A willing lady/girl will quickly learn to carry out her duties with dedication and devotion in order to derive extra benefits.
Pleasing a maid might mean avoiding any disapprobation on a badly done task, bearing all expenses such as clothing and food, and reckoning every word being uttered to the protagonist — in this case, the maid.
It is equally important to make her feel wanted in the house and count her as a part of the family. Watching TV, talking on the phone and sitting in the AC are her birthrights. After all, she, too, is human. When shifting house, one must not forget to keep a provision for a separate toilet and a proper room for the live-in maid.
Above all, no matter how much you try to satisfy her wants, an offer of a mere increment of a mere Rs500 in her salary from an outsider makes her suffer from temporary amnesia and she suddenly feels the need to visit relatives back in the village, someone in the family falls mysteriously ill or gets married back in the village, and away she goes.
What next? The beginning of another venture, a never-ending task of finding another maid begins. While sharing one’s grief with a friend, in return you hear another story of a maid turning the other cheek and so the search for two maids is on, then three, and so on.
Whether or not you think I am right, I honestly believe that maids are a true blessing, similar to the dark clouds of monsoon which are awaited for months before they first appear and vanish immediately after the first downpour.
What inspires one to hire a maid? Does the inspiration come from our upper-class society where it is a status symbol to have a maid for the kids? 
