Simple Inspirational Tunes

As I veered through my list of inspirations from my archives, I stumbled upon "Manjula the maid".

She was all of 5 feet but worked tirelessly like a fast spinning top. Manjula often regaled her mistresses with her innocuous wits.

Kirthiga (one of her mistresses) - 'Manjula', "please go and get boiled rice from the nearest stall".

Manjula - "Oh, sure mam, I'll get it".

She went and bought a parcel from one of the stalls close by and handed it over to Kirthiga.

Kirthiga was intrigued by the fact that the package felt soft and wondered why. On unwrapping, she was startled to find "cooked rice".

Kirthiga - What is this you've bought. I'd meant another category of raw rice. And look what's in here!

Manjula - Mam, I wanted to hugely surprise you with hot boiling rice, hence that purchase!

Kirthiga burst out laughing and went on to explain the innocent Manjula what she exactly wanted. She immediately obliged and assured that she would exercise extra care in her subsequent purchases.

Manjula also had a penchant for new surprises. There were two blue liquids placed side by side in a rack at Kirthiga's house. She asked what one of those fluids were meant for. Kirthiga explained that it was meant to cleanse the dirt of glasses and also give a lustrous appearance.

Her curiosity piqued, Manjula set aside her regular chores and collected mirrors and phones from her vicinity. She applied the fluid and wiped them clean with a soft cloth. The results were amazing. But the fragrance of fresh peppermint filled the room. The inmates along with Kirthiga were set to roll their heads spinning. Why on earth was a sparkler fluid emitting peppermint smell??

They inquired Manjula of the same.. She gracefully produced the bottle in front of them. What ensued was roaring laughter. It was the bottle of 'mouthwash'. What was more amusing was that the phones and mirrors shined like never before!!!! Perhaps it was a discovery of sorts from the beloved maid!

Later she was taught to distinguish between mouthwash and sparkler fluids.

Sometimes Manjula frequented her native. Whenever she took an extra day's leave without consent, she bought gifts in the form of fresh vegetables or spices that her native was famous for. She gave them to Kirthiga and said, "Mam, these are 'O-gone-kick' and very good for health.

Kirthiga was aware of her buttering tactics and refrained from reprimanding. Instead she was amused by the usage of her words. She was puzzled as to what she meant.

Continued Manjula, " You once explained that if vegetables were grown at home devoid of any chemicals, they are supposed to be nutritious"..

Kirthiga controlled her giggles and understood that 'Organic' was what she meant. She rectified Manjula's mistake by teaching her the correct pronunciation.

Needless to say, Manjula was a hilarious bouquet of innocent actions that charmed everybody around her. She injected her energy in full throttle to her assigned jobs. Every revamp in a typical household boasts of the hands of a maid. They are like the pots of gold that transform and add touches of glitter to our houses. Everything spic and span has their name, yet they never get respite even on Sundays. They are the chirpy inspirations at simplistic levels, but never recognized for their deeds.

Rain or Shine

Manjula never whined

She's an embodiment of loyalty

Deserving of her royalty.

Sickness was never her refrain

She completed her jobs within her domain

She never coaxed for an increase in wage

Even if she was in a rage.

Life for her was a continuum of turmoil

Yet Manjula lived it with her hectic toil

She's ready to serve new mistresses

Despite her works, that's listless.

Kirthiga and her like-minded friends, inspired by the hard work of the maids, decided to acknowledge them. They conducted a meeting every fortnight exclusively for the maids and their families. They organized cultural programmes where they could tap into the creative potential of these lesser mortals. They also rewarded them with handsome incentives and gifts to showcase their talent. This kind of recreation not only relieved Manjula and her peers from their daily grind but also motivated them to expand their lives to a broader horizon.

May their tribes increase!