Life Of Bai

Life of Bai

In Nagpur, the second most commonly spoken word after Aai (mother) is Bai, a term that carries the weight of both endearment and exploitation.

A Bai is the backbone of countless households, silently ensuring that homes remain functional, tidy, and welcoming.

A Life of Discipline

Life is harsh, and for a Bai in Nagpur, it is even harsher.

The city of extremes doesn’t make survival easy. Summers scorch at 49°C, monsoons flood the streets and homes, and winters bite with temperatures as low as 5°C.

Yet, before the first rays of the sun touch the city, she is up, braving the elements.

She steps out before dawn, sometimes walking miles or squeezing into overcrowded autos, heading to homes where she is expected to scrub away every trace of disorder.

The sweat on her brow, the chill in her bones, or the dampness in her clothes never matter, what matters is getting the job done.

It takes immense discipline, resilience, and a suppression of ego to wash someone else’s dirty dishes, clean their floors, and scrub their stained laundry, all while knowing that her own home might remain untidy because she has no time to tend to it.

Bravehearts of the City

The Nagpuri Bai is a warrior in disguise. She arrives at your doorstep at the same time every day, without fail, greeting you with a smile, even when her body aches from exhaustion.

She fights unseen battles, poverty, social stigma, and sometimes even abusive employers, yet she never lets her struggles seep into her work.

She labors tirelessly across multiple households, staining her saree so that yours looks pristine.

Her hands, roughened by years of washing utensils, sometimes prepare meals for you when your own mother is unwell.

Between work shifts, she rushes home to prepare food for her family, ensuring her children have something to eat before they head to school.

If she has young kids, she juggles between jobs and childcare, often carrying them to work because there’s no one else to look after them.

If she has a husband, she might return home to yet another set of chores, cooking, cleaning, and sometimes enduring a partner who doesn't acknowledge the weight she carries.

She earns in pennies but pays in sweat. Some days, she endures harsh words, unpaid wages, or sudden dismissals over the slightest mistake. Yet, she wakes up the next morning and does it all over again.

The Cycle of Sacrifice

For the Nagpuri Bai, every tomorrow is a mirror of today, challenging, relentless, exhausting.

But there she is, again, at your doorstep, at the same time, with the same quiet resilience. Her smile remains unchanged, though her struggles remain unseen.

She makes your home spotless while her own home waits for her tired hands to tend to it.

The next time you see her, pause for a moment. Look beyond her role, beyond the work she does.

See the woman who fights daily battles, the mother who dreams of a better life for her children, the warrior who braves extreme weather, social hardships, and economic struggles.

And maybe, just maybe, offer her the respect she has always deserved.