Merv:
I believe in the dignity of labor. In Goa, I do a lot of my own work,
including, painting the house, carrying firewood on my head (being bald, I have
to have some cushioning material)., carrying construction material, mowing my
lawns, washing my car etc.
Some people used to laugh at this "bhatkar" doing manual labor, but after some
initial comments about me being a cheapskate etc., people are grudgingly
beginning to appreciate what I am doing. Doing manual labor myself is
necessitated by the inavailability of casual laborers, and if one finds a
laborer, they demand outrageious (by Indian standards) wages, and work "doctors
hours" (with apologies to dotors on this forum) with a two hour siesta mid-day
and transportation to and from the location where one picks up laborers. The
casual laborers one finds now a days come from the states of Jharkhand, Bihar,
Chattisgarh and Orissa.
You better have a good command of Hindi to converse with them and give them
directions.
And then you have to keep a constant eye on them so that they do not slack off.
The old time Goan laborers have grown too old to work, and their children,
having received an education, shun manual labor. Some of them are Lawyers,
Doctors, Bankers etc.,
Good for them !
