The Space Between Us

Bhima, who works in the Dubash household, is constantly referred to as a “servant” by the other characters in the book. This is a term commonly used to refer to domestic workers in India (“Domestic Workers.” NDWM The National Domestic Workers Movement). Domestic workers are unorganized in India and usually earns wages below the minimum wage, even in the states with strict minimum wage laws (“Who Are Domestic Workers.” International Labor Organization). Because of wage exploitation, the employment of domestic workers is not restricted to wealthy families alone; a large number of middle-class families employ workers who carry out household tasks like cooking, cleaning the house, washing clothes and utensils, and even nannying young children.

The lack of law, policy, and precedent to protect domestic workers makes their lives very difficult. The low pay leads domestic workers to work long hours in multiple households; their days off, salary hikes and bonuses, and any additional benefits are left to the whims of employers (“Domestic Workers.” NDWM The National Domestic Workers Movement). In Bhima’s case, Sera takes responsibility for Maya’s education when she recognizes the young girl’s intelligence. Sera also pays for additional expenses on occasion, such as Bhima’s train tickets to and from Delhi, or her cab fare to Maya’s college.

A majority of domestic workers in India are women and children, who are usually uneducated and can’t read, which leaves them open to a number of different kinds of exploitation (“Domestic Workers.” NDWM The National Domestic Workers Movement). There is stigma attached to domestic work—perpetuated by the common use of terms like “servant,” for instance—as cleaning work is considered “low-caste” work among the majority Hindu population in the country. Such households usually keep separate utensils aside for their domestic workers to use, and the workers are not allowed to use the furniture; many are also not allowed to use public spaces and facilities in apartment buildings, such as the main door or the elevator (“On International Domestic Workers’ ’Day, a Lookback at the Ghastly Conditions They Are Subjected to in India.” The Leaflet, 16 Jun. 2023). Although the Parsis do not have a caste system within their culture, some of these discriminatory behaviors have transferred across communities.

Domestic workers, especially “live-in” workers, often face unrestricted abuse, including sexual harassment; Maya’s circumstances in the book are not uncommon. Most domestic workers refrain from filing complaints, however, for fear of stigma, as well as loss of employment (“On International Domestic Workers’ Day, a Lookback at the Ghastly Conditions They Are Subjected to in India.” The Leaflet, 16 Jun. 2023). Bhima’s first instinct is to cast blame on her granddaughter rather than believe ill of her wealthy and educated employer’s family, highlighting the extent of cultural biases against domestic workers and women. The loss of employment is also a very real danger, as domestic workers are not assured any severance pay or retirement benefits; they are often let go with no notice, sometimes on the whim of an employer, and left scrambling to find new work (“On International Domestic Workers’ Day, a Lookback at the Ghastly Conditions They Are Subjected to in India.” The Leaflet, 16 Jun. 2023). This is precisely what happens with Bhima as well after decades of working at the Dubash household. Bhima’s experiences are a fairly accurate portrayal of a typical domestic worker’s life in India.