Have you seen Savita's dress today ? OMG!Does she even look like a maid? My neighbor asked me today morning and I said, yes she is like our family and I want her to dress like that. Ok,by the way,Savita is a 34 year old lady, who has lost her husband two years back. She has a seven year old son named Raja. She has been our house help from five years. A very honest, hard working and charming lady she is.
She is very fond of dressing and always dresses well, with a big red bindi and a cute smile.But all her dreams were shattered after her husband's death.People wanted her to wear a white saree with her face covered. But when she did not care what people said they started talking ill about her, which made her depressed and inevitably she had to wear a white saree.
Her son was too small to understand all this.But last year, on her birthday he came to my home and asked for a bindi.I was shocked. I asked, Raja, "why do you need a bindi" ? He said he wanted his mother to look beautiful and dress like the way she used to dress before. And the red bindi was her identity as people knew her,(wo badi laal bindi wali savita).
I paused for a moment. The young boy's words reflected my thoughts. I went to her home, I gave her a set of bindi and told her if she had to come to my home she had to dress well and wear her favourite red bindi. Raja was very happy. Savita asked me why did I tell her to do so?I told her every child wants the mother to be happy.Push your worries and pull the confidence in you.Don't be bothered about the society.
Its your life and you have to be happy and make your son happy.
The very next day she was back in her old style. The joy on her face wearing a red bindi and a maroon saree was priceless.
This is one small change I wanted to bring and set an example to the society. Did her husband carry away all her happiness?Did he tell her if he dies, she should never dress well and never wear a bindi? NO!
When he had never told all this, it is unfair on part of the society to impose restrictions on her. When a modern and a so called elite class doesn't have such norms,why should other classes follow it? Let us be a change. Let us make them change.A small change can be the biggest reason behind their joy!
By Manasa Hegde