THE word masi, where Sindhis are concerned, is used in respect for an elderly aunt. This might come as a big surprise to the non-Sindhi-speaking community. But in urban society, where combating household chores is nearly next to impossible if dealt by a single person, masi is a maid servant or helping hand for the ‘Home Minister’ (housewife) to support in almost every department of the house, whether it is related to cooking or cleaning. Masi is an essential ingredient for domestic bliss nowadays.
But the million-dollar question is: are all masis capable of a modus operandi for carrying their tasks respectfully and reasonably? Are they well aware of their duties, denominations and designations? Will it make any difference to them if their job target is less achievable? What’s the main reason for their survival phenomenon: is it the need of the hour or is it part of a fashionable society? Besides, can the matriarch survive without them? These are simple but annoying questions to reply. However, we can not ignore them just to defend or offend a certain section of society.
Masis or maids are not the outcome of a vacuum, rather they are a poverty-ridden socially-misplaced class in search of better socio-economic provisions that could make their economic as well as social life prosperous. Not a single person is born without his/her legal rights. Therefore, masis’ rights need to be implemented as they are part of our society besides being a regular component of people’s social-cum-personal life.
Ask yourself (if you are a home maker) what kind of scenario your home presents when your masi is a little tardy or sometimes remains absent for a day or two. My point is not against the ladies or their capabilities regarding carrying out routine household chores. I do understand that when you make a home then no one else but you alone are aware how to maintain serenity to make the home a better place. Basically, the problems are with the changing patterns of our social norms.
Today, not just the head of the family but the entire family belongs to the earning class. Their official responsibilities along with their personal family affairs have put an excess burden on them to perform their personal-cum-professional routine tasks. Due to that enigma, lack of time or lack of physical-cum-mental strength had invited the masi as a blessing in disguise to support in household work. Therefore, detaching the masi’s persona is next to impossible.
Now as to the other side of the story. Masis are nowadays quite aware regarding their importance in people’s life, specially in the working bourgeois class. They have realized that in their absence people may not be able to do their routine housework properly. Due to that reason they often behave like an alien creature having zero dignity.
From a financial perspective they are always demanding. They are present for 15 or 20 days a month only and for the rest they have their very own schedule to take care of. Some of the annoying factors of the masi’s personality, which makes her less committed to work, include taking care of a sick child (at least twice a month) and being busy with one of her dozen children’s marriage ventures.
What women usually complain regarding maids’ attitude towards their wealth is that the former have enormous wealth to flow and channels of sources through which the latter could attain the maximum benefit for their children, irrespective of the fact as to how difficult it is for her employer’s family to survive within their meagre income.
Actually what we are lacking in is a degree of understanding and commitment towards each other. Neither matriarchs nor maids follow the smooth path of attaining each other’s designated goals. There is a general perception that if one maid leaves she could be easily replaced by another. With this kind of approach the matriarch tries to rule not just over her home but over the masi as well. If the former consider maids as humans first and then the poor class of our society, then only will there arise an emotional bond between the two. Besides, masis are also advised not to go dragging their owners in extreme irritation which could make both the parties less humane.
