Imandaari.

My dhobi has a sister. She was the one who would collect the clothes & deliver them after ironing.In fact,we hardly saw the brother that is the dhobi.She was of marriagable age but was not tying the knot.My maidservant was more worried than the girl about the wedding.She seemed to opine that the brother was utilising his sister for earning a livelihood.The sister would always disagree with my maidservant whenever they met at my home.Later,she started avoiding my inquisitive bai.

Months passed & one fine day,the girl announced that she is getting married.She was happy.Her brother had arranged for the match,she said.She invited us also but we were unable to go though, it, was quite nearby.Later,she paid us a visit.My mom gifted her a saree. It was out of guilt of having missed her wedding.

Now,the problem started- the dhobi did not turn up for days together.We were anxious.Our clothes were piling -especially my daughter's school uniform sets.I managed a temporary respite by giving it at the nearby power laundry.He charged me extra.I tried telling other dhobis to come up & pick the clothes.But they were hesitant in stepping into his shoes.They did not want to take away the livelihood of one amongst them.

At last,he landed.I asked him about his long absence.He said that he was not keeping well.I gave him the clothes for ironing.He delivered them as promised.But again,he was absent for a fortnight.When,he returned,he stated that he has again been keeping unwell.But ,he gave his phone number .He said that ,I could call him up & he will come.I realised that his sister was the one who did all the outside chores for him .With her gone now,he was finding it impossible to cater to all his customers.Moreover,he couldn't afford to keep an assistant. He had a family as I used to give my daughter's old clothes & shoes for his daughter.


I called him up after a week.He said that he will come the next day.He came but ,I was irritated that he came a day later.I felt, that his phone number was given so that he could decide, the day, the clothes would be taken up -not me.This continued.I still put up with him .

It was time for Deepavali .As,I was going out of town,I told him about it.He said that I call him up after I return.After my return,I called him up on phone.He came & immediately asked ,"Aapne ,Deepavali ka bonus nahi diya." ! I was angry .I had told him that I would be out of town so as to save him the inconvenience of coming to my house to look at the lock.And , he was accusing me of depriving him of his bonus.But,I kept mum.I thought, that maybe he needs a lesson or rather some lessons in manners.His sister was unlike him.I paid him his bonus.He thanked me.

He started coming regularly now -once in a week. I had to call him up but he would be there on the day,I would call him.Meanwhile,my daughter lost her wrist watch-it had been gifted by her mama.It was a purple & pink watch -a pretty one for a nine year girl.We searched everywhere but drew a blank.

The dhobi came to deliver the ironed clothes.I was on the phone talking to a friend.My dhobi handed me my kid's wrist watch & made a passing reference as he collected his payment that it was there in the bundle of our clothes.I was so busy on the phone that I could not even thank him.He could have just kept it as he has a daughter of the same age as mine but his honesty triumphed ! We would never have thought that it could be mixed up in a bundle of clothes.I felt, that it was I, who needed to join an etiquette class, as I had, yet to learn, to be thankful for all that I have got & more !

Dhobin( washerwoman).

I loathe all housework with some exceptions like drying the clothes.

This is one task which I find to be very relaxing.I am very particular about the manner in which clothes must be hanged so that they dry faster & better.Even in those days, before, I got my washing machine,I would dislike the way our servant maid hung the clothes to dry -all dripping water as if there was a shower which had been left running.Also,she would overlap the clothes so much so that I felt that I re hang the clothes for drying.

I had to dry the clothes by using a bamboo stick to overhaul the clothes up the wires which were fixed in the passage at the top near the roof.The heavier ones had to hung by standing up on a stool & then repeating the process.Initially,I would leave the drying of sarees to my mother but my aunt's challenge hurt my ego so much so that I learnt to fold a wet saree & hang that also up on the drying line by means of a bamboo stick.

In the house wherein,I presently reside,I hang some clothes in the window on the aluminum pipes which have been specially installed for the purpose.Here also,I, use a very systematic pattern to do this job.I hang the light colored clothes as the first line facing the outer side of the windows & towards the inner side,I hang the dark colored clothes.Alternatively,the smaller clothes are hung on the outside line & larger ones on the inside line.The remaining clothes after all this are hung in the passage up on the aluminum rods.I have now become so much of an expert at hanging clothes by hauling them up that I can hang even the smallest of the clothes by taking it on a stick & dry it up on a rod just next to the roof.

Actually,the hanged clothes at the window make superb curtains.So also,the gentle breeze flowing through the windows & the wet clothes has a cooling effect.In fact at one of my friend's place,clothes similarly hung in the balcony would lead to the air conditioning effect but of course, till the clothes were wet !

Even when I am visiting relatives,this is one work which I will gladly take up & complete to my satisfaction which is what matters to me most, as I am a perfectionist, when it comes to this ritual.At my in-laws home wherein,I avoid venturing into doing any household work due to orthodoxy,I am willing & ready to hang out wet clothes to dry & also fold the dried clothes.They are delighted to learn that there is at least one task which I do uncomplainingly.Other than that, they still wonder, as to how, their poor son puts up with a woman like me who cannot even pretend to help around with any work around the house.

Whenever,I go travelling & book a room ,I am very specific that the room should have a place to hang washed clothes to dry.Yes,it has become an obsession with me.Even now,as I am searching for a flat,I keep looking for places wherein I will hang clothes to dry.

I also keep folding the dried clothes umpteen times in the course of the day one by one as soon as they are dried.My mom says that I dry the clothes as if I am drying papads ! She also suspects , that I was a dhobin in my last janam.My brother jokes that I am a dhobin now also, as he opines , that I am forever folding the dried clothes or hanging wet clothes out to dry.