Baikancha Divas

For every Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and Sunita Williams, there is a Vaishali bai tucked away in countless homes, sweeping, dusting...

For every Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and Sunita Williams, there is a Vaishali bai tucked away in countless homes, sweeping, dusting, mopping and eating leftovers. I thought this to myself as I sat patiently at a function conducted by the public works department to felicitate women 8212; predictably on Women8217;s Day.

While I was thoroughly amused over an employees8217; welfare organisation 8212; that too of the public works department 8212; wanting to felicitate an unknown health reporter obviously the local dailies are widely read here from an English newspaper, I must admit it gave me time to reflect on such anniversaries.

I let my thoughts flow as flowers, shawls and coconuts were distributed to some six women from different walks of life. For every Kiran Bedi and a Kiran Desai, there is an unknown Tina tucked away in the ward of a mental hospital wondering why her head is so muddled with bizarre thoughts. Does she really know what Women8217;s Day is all about 8212; and then, does she really care?

Do these people know that there are five million women who are mentally ill and desperately in need a strong support system? Do they know that the face of HIV increasingly is a woman today? Do they know how many babies are unwanted and unwillingly killed in the mother8217;s womb?

The chain of thoughts was fast broken by Mr Agawane, coordinator of the organisation, calling out my name. I went on stage only to forget what I thought I would say. Never mind, they quickly covered up for the lapse and presented me with the flowers and coconuts. 8220;What a relief I did not have to speak, it is so much easier to pen a thousand words,8221; I mumbled in my broken Marathi and rushed back to my seat.

But the function was an occasion to let my mind wander, thinking about women of courage and strength, women who have fought back and women who have withstood a great deal. I thought Vaishali bai was one such. With a rose in my hand the next day, I decided to ask Vaishali bai 8212; the maid who washes utensils at my home and whose services I cannot do without 8212; about Women8217;s Day translation: Baikancha Divas.

Her look of surprise said it all. She accepted my rose, went about her tasks as I continued writing8230;