By Roopa Rani Bussa
Contributory author for Spark Igniting Minds
Tall towers have accommodated hundreds of homes in moderate areas. We call it urban life. Life will get compromised in an available place sometimes it’s unavoidable for many. So is our Kamat’s family.
The cricket sounds stridulating. It was midnight 12 a.m. still in some of the flats lights are on. Mrs. Kamat is working in the kitchen, making arrangements for next day’s lunch boxes. It was one bedroom flat in a suburb around 550 sqft. Two children Shwetha and Sharath are in 8th grade and 10 grade respectively. Mr. Kamat works for some private company in the old city. Mrs. Kamat is a clerk in another company. She has to leave home at 7.00 in the morning to reach her office. Till late night she works at home and morning at office from 9 to 5. She takes public transport for her daily travel.
Sharath is studying in the corner of the living room because his exams are near. Mrs. Kamat made a lot of noise in the kitchen because she was making arrangements for the next day. Mumma can you not make noise I’m not able to concentrate said Sharath. She said ok and after sometime again the sound was disturbing him. This time he in a rough voice told his mom not to make noise. Mrs. Kamat said ok son I’m almost done in the same patient voice. She finished her house chores and made arrangements for bed. It was past midnight. Mr. Kamat already slept.
Shwetha called her mom from bedroom. Mummy what should I wear tomorrow? My uniform is still wet. It didn’t dry at all. Mrs. Kamat had to help her with her uniform by ironing it and spreading under the fan. Mrs. Kamat mumbling by herself “these days’ children don’t have any time to do their own work. I don’t understand why education has become so burdensome unlike our times.” Shwetha beta your uniform will be ready by morning.
Mrs. Kamat slept. Morning alarm rang as usual. Sleep was not fulfilled but if she wakes up late even for 10 minutes, connecting jobs would affect. So she had no choice but to wake up. She woke up and prepared tea and breakfast for all. Filled lunch boxes for all. Clock is one such thing which clicks faster in the mornings. Same happens always for Mrs. Kamath. Waved bye to the children and Mr. Kamath, she ran to the bus stop. In a day, morning travel is the only time she will be able to sit for one hour. That’s the only time she gets to think, to remember the old memories and to be on her own. She travels every day and almost she takes the same bus. There are some passengers who travel just like her every day. She sometimes chitchats with them if the seat is available to sit beside them. She finds fun and joy in these petty things. She got down in the bus stop and walked faster to reach the office.
Today due to traffic she reached 20 minutes late. But some managers were really waiting for the chance to call them in the cabin and give warnings. Mrs. Kamat just met her manager and gave her reasons for being late. While coming out another colleague asked what that dog was barking about? Mrs. Kamat replied nothing much, as usual he got the chance today to bark at me because I’m late. Both giggled and started working. Private companies will extract as much work as possible but pay peanuts for us. At lunch time she and her colleagues shared food. Few ladies shared their favourite recipes. No one gets time to prepare anything special except on Sundays but still ladies feel good to share recipes.
Continued with the work till 5 pm submitted all the day’s work to the manager Mrs. Kamat hurriedly packed all her stuff and cleaned her table. Kept everything in the drawer, locked it safely and left the office. On the way she bought some vegetables and was thinking I don’t know if I can get a place to sit. It’s totally unpredictable hmmm… if I get it I can cut vegetables for night and morning which can save some time… the bus arrived and like every day the bus is full. With a lot of pushing she got into the bus. There is no space. Safeguarding all her belongings she reached her stop. Sometimes if she gets a seat she cuts the vegetables.
Wishing everyone in the society, with some halts here and there finally Mrs. Kamat reached home at 6.30 pm. Freshened up and by then Mr. Kamat was back home. Mr. and Mrs. Kamat gets only a little time to talk. Mr. Kamat told about his office. Sometimes good, sometimes worried, every day is not the same. Children come home. All of them together have their dinner and the same story repeats almost every working day.
This is the routine daily life of a middle class family in urban life she thinks to herself. Running for livelihood is mandatory for middle class people like us. Adjustments and compromising are the two elements we are feeding our minds. Shwetha and Sharath were adorable kids who never complained about living in this small house. Coping with his little salary Mr. Kamat somehow stretched himself to buy this flat in this expensive metro. The loans take years together to get repaid. Till then the life of many women in the metro is just like mine. Responsibilities are more than what we earn. This is the saga of almost all homes. Day by day expenses are increasing and the ratio between salary and expenses remains almost the same according to the inflation rates how on earth can we become stable? I wish to be artistic but life demands a job. It makes me upset to think about all those things. Let’s not waste time in things we can’t change, she thought to herself. Again went into routine as always.
Mrs. Kamat is a very active, smiling and mentally strong lady who works hard day and night. We see thousands of Mrs. Kamats in cities all over the country. In olden days the whole families use to work in fields to grow crops. Fortunately or unfortunately life changed completely. Of course, there are pros and cons of this too. Kamat’s family is one example of this urban life. 90 percent of city dwellers lead this strenuous life, amidst finding happiness in the available environment.
About the Author
Roopa Rani Bussa is a homemaker living in California and is a nature lover, the beholder of positive power, a believer of social services, a Passionate teacher, and a well organized passionate writer.
The journey of writing began a few years ago and she considers it an honor to carry forward the legacy of her father. She writes quotes and poetry in Telugu, Kannada, Hindi English, and Urdu.
Visit her at
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