She Can Get Tired Too!

She Can Get Tired Too: 

'kadam chhota, change bada'

Vedika entered her house hurriedly, she was late from tuitions. It was already 8:30 p.m. She kept her bag on the dining table and went into the kitchen to drink water. The kitchen was untouched and messy with utensils lying with leftover food from the lunch.

"So late you are! I called three times in your class. What are they teaching you so much?", her Grandmother came in with an accusatory tone.

"Aaji, it is my tenth. We had a three hours paper today. I had told and gone!" Vedika stood looking at the kitchen, wondering where to start cleaning.

"Mummy called? They too are late!" Vedika went in the bedroom to change clothes. Grandmother sat on the sofa and picked up the Remote.

"Yes, there is traffic they said, trains are late too. We will have to settle for late dinner, what else! My knees are paining. Oh my knees!"

Vedika came out, gave a dirty look to her Grandmother and went into the kitchen. She knew her favourite excuse, was her knees, for not doing anything. She thought she could begin cleaning the kitchen and cut vegetables so when her mom came she can at least begin cooking. She was already feeling angry and tired. Tired after a long day at school, then classes, she was hungry. To expect her grandma to cook would be a cardinal sin. She knew it would lead to a slinging war of words. She had no strength to get into that. The doorbell rang and her ten year old sibling and Grandfather walked in.

"Didi, is there anything to eat?", Navika asked throwing her socks and bag in different corners.

Vedika gave a stare and went in.

Her Grandmother added “All of us must wait till our Maharani comes home and cooks for us.”

Vedika could not let this pass. "That Maharani has to work, travel in trains, cook and do lot of things Aaji! Your knees are paining but you can cut vegetables and keep. You can supervise the bai when she comes in. Look at the kitchen!"

Grandmother’s ire rose "All my life I have toiled, now I want to rest." 

Grandfather got up."Veda, you must not talk to your Aaji like this, why are your Aai baba late?" 

Vedika huffed into the kitchen and shouted, "Navika please call and see where they have reached!"

Grandmother came in the kitchen and looked at Vedika’s stiff frame clearing the utensils."At this age also, you expect me to work..." 

"At this age, I want you don’t call my mother in a derogatory fashion. She does enough for all of us. She cooks and leaves. Sometimes she does not get to eat. On days like today, she can order from outside, but No... Your and Ajoba’s digestion can’t take outside food so she will come and cook for us. The least you can do is keep the kitchen clear when maid is there, supervise her a bit..."

"That lazy woman does not listen to me! Your mother has spoiled her...", interjected Grandmother sulkily.

"My mother is not at home, you are. You keep fighting with her. Mom only pays salary to her. If you drive her out, how will mother manage?" Vedika finished washing utensils. She began mopping the kitchen table. 

"In our times we did everything and managed without complaining..." So began her rant. 

Vedika had no patience. She cut in, "Oh Aaji please! You lived in a joint family of fifteen people, big wada (huge house) and you had five servants in the village. You had plenty of help. Now go and watch TV and let me do something here." 

The doorbell rang and Mother hurried straight into the kitchen"Khup usheer jhale re! Kai Gardi kai saangu!" (It has got so late,  so much crowd, what to say!) 

Vedika offered "Aai atleast change your clothes and have some water." 

“No, no if I sit, I won’t be able to get up!" she gratefully took the water offered. 

"What is there in the fridge?" She opened the refrigerator. 

Vedika saw her mother’s hands and body, which were trembling with all the hurry and stress. She must have endured hell in the local train's crowd. 

“I will cut brinjals and potatoes. You go on and begin chapattis.” 

Mother put the flour in the flour machine to knead. 

“I don’t like these chapatti flour kneaded in machines but we can’t tell anyone. Else daughter and mother will jump on us.”, jibed grandmother from the living room. 

Vedika opened her mouth to give back but the doorbell signalled her father’s arrival. 

Father came and sat on the sofa. Navika took the briefcase and kept it. Vedika took water for him. 

"Ha! I am so tired. The bus was so crowded..."

"No problem beta. You rest now. Long time until dinner. You can even sleep for some time."

Aaji had a way with her tongue. Each moment incensed Vedika more. 

"She also came late. Trains too were running late, Can I get some tea?"

"Yes, yes, I will make it." Grandmother got up with great emphasis on her knees. 

"Arre why you will make, Neera will make.. Aee Neera Jara Chaha aan ki?" (bring some tea, will you?) 

Vedika fumed. She looked at Mom. She was halfway through the chapattis. She looked at the watch; it was quarter to ten. 

“Baba, dinner will be ready. Mom is making chapattis. I am cutting brinjals. It will be ready. ” 

She came and sat with her plate. Making it clear that no tea will be possible. 

“So you will deprive my son of tea also now!” came the shrill reprimand  from her Grandmother. 

"Aaji it is ten ‘o’ clock almost." Navika interjected. 

Her father looked uncomfortable. 

"My son comes tired. There is no dinner ready and now you won’t give him tea also... "

"Aai asu de... Jevu aata!" (It is OK. We will eat now), his father tried soothing his mother. 

"When? Dinner is ages away."

"Mom also came just now only Aaji. If you were so hungry, why could you not keep few things ready?" 

"Vedaaaa be quiet!" her father’s voice rose.

"Yes baba, her knees pain so she cannot wash utensils but she can cut vegetables, knead aata while sitting if she does not like machine kneading! Is mom a human or machine to work non-stop? She has not even changed clothes?" Vedika’s voice rose and chest heaved with teenage anger. 

"Yes, yes now we are the servants. We must cook also!" Aaji began her crying routine. 

Vedika looked at her mother in the kitchen, resolutely putting in one chapatti after another. She was conserving energy for her chores thereafter. Vegetables had to be cooked. Post dinner cleaning. Morning lunch preparation. 

"Dad, I have a question. If mom works in the house it is her duty. If aaji works why she becomes a servant?"

"I am tired Veda, I don’t wish to fight..." her father said in a resigned tone. 

"Baba, if you work and come home, you sit on the sofa and ask for tea. Mom goes straight in the kitchen to do whatever required. She can’t order out, she can’t keep a cook. No one shares her workload. She is earning too. Can’t she get tired too?"

Vedika’s question hung in the air. She locked eyes with her father. For a long time her father stared at her questioning eyes and the question! Vedika felt her chest thumping. She was ready for a slap or confrontation but she stood resolute! Not backing out her gaze. She dug in. 

Her mother had a tear rolling down at the maturity her daughter had gained. 

"Yes Baba, can mom not get tired?"

Her dad moved and took the plate of brinjal from her. He went in the kitchen and lit up the Gas. Put the cooker on the gas. 

"Yes, Vedika she can get tired too!" 

He poured oil in the cooker and put mustard seeds. As he waited for them to splutter, he smiled. "I make good Brinjal sabji."

As the oil spluttered, he put the vegetables, spices, salt, bit water and closed the lid. 

"Baba, I am..." Vedika did not know what to say. 

"Veda, Your question is valid. We will work together so all of us don’t get tired or angry hmmm?" He looked hinting at his wife "Our Veda is soon joining Naari Mukti Andolan, bagh haa!" He winked. “I promise your mother will never cook alone. We all will be there with her."

Her mom smiled in relief and gratitude. Her respect for her husband grew. It would be tough for her in-laws to accept but he accepted that 'She can get tired!' that made all the difference in the household atmosphere. The Cooker whistle signalled the dinner preparation. Father and Vedika together laid the table and Navika brought water.

Grandmother and Grandfather ate in silence. When Mom ate that day, she ate love and respect. Her daughter had asked a relevant question for all women and also for herself...

"Can’t she get tired?"

Every change begins with a small step, whether it’s a change within your family, or the whole country! India’s hero, Padman, had its digital premiere on ZEE5, on 11th May. Don’t miss this inspiring true-life story, only on ZEE5. Download the app and subscribe now. For every subscription, ZEE5 will donate Rs. 5 towards the personal hygiene needs of underprivileged women.

-SONNAL PARDIWALA