Maid to order

The adoption of flat culture, quite uncommon here just a few decades back, is proving to be a blessing for a section of maids in the city. The booming real estate business has indirectly generated an employment opportunity on an hourly basis for these womenfolk.

Like most working women they start out from home in the morning and work till evening. It is respectable job for someone who works for an hour at one home and then shifts to another house. The dearth of sufficient hands to handle household duties has also created a demand for this job. It is turning out to be a lucrative option for those who are in good health and are willing to work part-time as a servant.

``Earlier, I stayed and worked as a full-time servant at one house and managed all the domestic duties. As the demand started growing I sifted to the hourly basis servant job,’’ said Nirmala , who has worked as a maid in both flats and houses for more than a decade.

The pay is based on how much sincerity one show to the profession. The salary is fixed based on the type of domestic work one prefers to undertake.

Sweeping, cleaning and washing clothes come under one category while those who prepare food are paid additional wages. For an hour Rs.40 to Rs.50 is the minimum charge for cleaning job while for cooking it is more.

It is a considerably good income for women who have not had an opportunity to go for higher studies owing to financial problems. The field offer huge demand for anyone who can cook nice. Interestingly most of the women are happy with the daily salary they get from the job. One of the servant revealed that since she attend five to seven homes a day there is no money problem at the end of the month.

Though do not come under any trade union, majority of them are happy with their jobs. They say they have not come across any exploitation, the work is completed in an hour and the family members too maintain good relations with them.
More than this, womenfolk are happy that the reasonably well paying job enables them to look after their families.

Cashing in on the preening habit

The latest film and beauty magazines are kept lazily on the small designer table in the centre of the neatly arranged visitor’s room. Those who don’t like to read can instead watch entertainment and sports programme on the colour television fixed on the wall. There is impatience on each face as they wait in the queue for their turn.
The above scene is the retinue occurrences at male beauty parlours in the city. The concepts of exclusive beauty parlours for men are fast catching on in every corner of the city.
``Nowadays men are very conscious about their looks, especially about their hair and face,’’ says V.B.Jayakumar, owner of Balu’s Gents beauty parlour, who started a beauty parlour for men twenty years ago at YMCA cross road, `Today’s youth can not imagine being bald and they rady to spend any amount and time for it,’’ he added.
The male saloon cum beauty parlours run by the experienced and trained male beauticians offers the same beauty treatments available at the Women’s beauty parlours. The skin care treatments include herbal and golden facials, hair straightening, hair colouring, massage, henna, dandruff and pimple treatment, waxing, pedicure and manicure.
They male beauticians say their customers prefer privacy and calm and cool atmosphere. Most of them are having permanent customers who not bother about money much.
To cope with the changing trends, men are reviewing their looks constantly and going to beauty parlours besides visiting fitness or health clubs.
Men from all walks of life, be it from the middle class or the elite are flocking to the parlours. Majority of the regular customers are working class males including bank employees, businessmen and highly placed professionals, assert most of the owners. The customer also comes in after fixing an appointment. The owners claim that if customers are satisfied with the service, they tend to become regular visitors and also encourage their friends to visit the parlours where the charge usually range from Rs.200 to Rs.1,500.
``People who had come for a simple hair cut in the past have now started asking for a facial,’’ says beautician S.K.Prasannan. The customers range from the 14-year-old students to 45-year-old middle class men,’’ he said.
Besides, these parlours some of the posh hotels also have gents beauty parlours in their premises.

Life after dusk in Kozhikode

There are many things I wanted to write about this beautiful yet sleepy city. The first thing come into my mind is the make shift eateries functioning under shaded trees near busy inter junctions after sun set. The vendors get ready to start their business which would usually extend well past midnight. One could see long queue of the youths ready to savour the piping hot food served in these way side eat outs. One could also see families in cars and bikes, back from work also stop by and order for parcels, to make sure of a day off from the kitchen chores.
These ‘thattukadas’ in ramshackle sheds offer both veg and non vegetarian menu including chicken, beef, Gopimanchurian and some of the local delicacies like paruppu vada and paratta with vegetable curry. The aroma of freshly-made thattu dosa with the fiery meat curry, well complemented by a cup of frothy, piping hot tea, would vouch for its lingering taste and easy prices. The friendly environment and rustic feel makes these makeshift eateries different from their bigger counterparts.

Most of the target customers are local youths of the surrounding areas who lives in nearby rented houses and flats. Besides, these eatery outlets proves to be a blessing for those stranded in the middle of the night by a missed bus will all find these simple eateries a real banker.
Its true that most of the food items are not prepared in a hygienic manner. The cooked items are often displayed open along the dusty roads or leaking drains. Plates and glasses are washed together in the same water and the chances of contamination lurks high in the air. Unfortunately these eateries often proves to be a heaven for antisocial elements who plan for a big strike after dusk.

Interestingly all these facts do not seem to dampen the spirits of the fans of these simple eateries going by the crowd and the hype of its patrons. They just want to eat from their favourite `thattukadas' which offers tasty food items for low price.