Mahima Sharma Week 7

In ‘Of Rasoi ka Kaam/Bathroom ka Kaam’, the author talks about how the concepts of purity and pollution affect domestic work in Indian society. The ‘home’ and ‘outside’ are segregated according to their caste and class. The caste distinction is also empowered by the employers themselves, keeping in mind that whoever does the ‘dirty’ work belongs to the lower caste. Therefore, the domestic workers are hired on the basis of their caste and often the workers represent themselves only as “dirt”, reinforcing such practices of caste discrimination and ‘untouchability’. Sharma talks about the distinctions are made and how certain social groups are excluded to set their hierarchy in domestic work. This also exposes us to the concept of social status and power. Their position is defined by their caste and religion, hence acting on the practices of purity and pollution in different ways, each of them having a different experience. These create a hole in the unionization of domestic workers as workers.