How I perceive them

Kumari Sittaram Shiva

In my multiperson household this is how I perceive them:
Kumari is my Nepalese housegirl. Girl is a term widely used. If you see her, girl comes to mind. I am told she is in her late 30s, married to Tomasin and has five children and apparently is already a granny ! She is as bright as the dawning sun and happy as Buddha. She smiles all the time, is eager to learn, a good and hard worker and loves to teach me Hindi which she thinks is hugely amusing. She is just lovely to have around.

Sittaram is our “mali” the gardener and odd job man. He is barely 4ft something and wears poor sweat stained and worn clothes but he greets me with the cheeriest smile every morning and has such a lovely face. His hair is combed down and parted on the side in school boy fashion and he is forever planting and weeding this big garden. Humble and quiet he works whatever the weather.

Shiva is our savvy tall Keralan driver. He is a great dresser and thinks of his car as “His” and his first request was to buy polish and feather dusters to maintain it. He has been a driver for quite a few years now in Delhi and has recently become a dad. He speaks good English and has a sarcastic wit. He is thirsty for knowledge and I am encouraging him to get a diploma or do course but he says he is Ok with his local A/C, his telly and fridge in his quarters. He drives a Royal Enfield !

They all live with us on the compound.