When the world grows with an endless greed for money, where people are ready to harm others for something that rarely even brings them lasting fulfilment, there still exist people who live untouched by this obsession. For them, money is not the centre of life. In fact, outside the so called civilised human systems, money holds no real value. When we truly understand that time simply passes by us, we begin to see how little importance money actually carries.
The first time I experienced this reality was through a few girls who migrated from Odissa as househelps. They were poorer than what we would define as poor, yet the quality they carried within them was immense. For them, money was not everything. It mattered only when there was a genuine need.
I noticed something very striking in their behaviour. Whenever I kept money casually around, they never touched it. Even if they had to take it for any reason, they handled it with care and kept it safely. They never crossed a line. There was an honesty in them that did not come from fear, but from their nature.
I once sent them to roam around a nearby church during a feast. They simply went inside, prayed sincerely, and returned. Later, I encouraged them to explore more, to experience things like shopping, and gave them some money. Surprisingly, they chose to buy only food. No ornaments, no unnecessary items, no display of status. It was clear that for them, food was a necessity, but money and show off were not.
They have lived for years with simple clothing, limited possessions, and minimal expectations. They do not demand much. Most of them are sincere and hardworking. At the same time, I also understand that if they are deeply exposed to urban lifestyles, there is a high chance they may slowly get influenced by a culture of excess and overconsumption.
I also observed differences within them. The boys were particular about receiving their salaries on time, often because they needed money for drinking habits. The girls, on the other hand, were less concerned about immediate payment. This very nature makes them vulnerable. They are often cheated by mediators who take away their earnings, or by employers who do not pay them fairly. Many of them are not fully aware of their wages or rights.
Some individuals, including certain intermediaries connected to religious institutions, act as mediators. They bring these girls from their regions to different states, taking a share or sometimes the entirety of their earnings. In the end, the girls are left with almost nothing. Their lack of familiarity with money and systems makes them easy targets for exploitation.
They come to places like Kerala and other states with the hope of a better life. They expect decent food, fair treatment, and some dignity. Unfortunately, reality often turns out to be very different. Many of them are underpaid, overworked, and not treated with basic respect.
Recently, one such girl was taking care of my ill mother. She did her work sincerely and with care. Later, I came to know that she had been married at the age of thirteen. Her husband had sent her to work while he lived a relatively comfortable life. Her marriage was troubled. He eventually began living with another woman. She was affected by it for some time, but then she chose to move on. She left the job and got engaged to another man.
As so called civilised people, we may judge such decisions. But in my view, they are living a more honest life by choosing their relationships based on their own will, rather than being bound by social expectations.
When she left the job suddenly, she did not demand her full salary. She agreed to return later, left her belongings behind, and walked away without creating any conflict.
After reaching her native place, the man she was previously involved with discovered her return. He took her phone and misused it. He spread her personal chats and images to damage her reputation. He even contacted me, sending her private pictures in an attempt to defame her. In front of others, he behaved like an innocent victim, gaining sympathy. Later, he began demanding her pending salary, revealing his true nature.
Now I do not know where she is. I am not even in a position to settle her payment. She was like many other girls from her background. Not greedy, never demanding, and committed to her work.
The problem lies within us, the so called civilised society. We tend to pay and respect only those who demand loudly, who fight, who assert themselves aggressively. Those who remain silent, those who trust, those who do not demand, are often ignored.
The poor remain poor not only because of lack of resources, but because of how they are treated. They are not even given the dignity of fair treatment as human beings. Ironically, many people treat their pets with more care and sensitivity than they treat these individuals.
And yet, we continue to believe that we are the evolved ones.
Society does not fail because of lack of systems. It fails because of mindset. Until that changes, nothing truly changes.
These people are coming to Kerala for working and earning. For them Kerala is like middle east country. Most of our Kerala people are going middle east country for job.
Sometimes the ones we call poor carry the richest values. We can only sympathise for some souls like your mother’s care taker, and they have to come of their deep hole themselves.