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Channel 4 series captures hardships of Indian servants: The Hindustan Times
London, Aug 23: Channel 4`s Masters and Servants series has made a participating Indian family understand how difficult the life of a servant is in India.
London, Aug 23: Channel 4's Masters and Servants series has made a participating Indian family understand how difficult the life of a servant is in India.
The Mehta family-of-four from Norbury participated in the programme in which two families from completely different backgrounds agree to be each other's servants for a week each. The other family was the Hastings-Evans.
The Mehtas say the experience has left them emotionally drained. Jyotika Mehta, who works for the Home Office, said: "I think the Hastings-Evans were expecting a stately home with 20 or 30 bedrooms. They didn’t think they would end up in a Hindu family’s house in Croydon. They had to stay in a caravan outside in the street and they weren’t prepared for the differences in our cultures and traditions.
"They were nice enough but they hadn’t lifted a finger in their life. They were constantly telling us that we were slave drivers and refusing to do chores for health and safety reasons."
After a week at the Mehtas' home, the host family had to move to the Hastings-Evans home in Wokingham, Berkshire to be their servants. Rajiv Mehta was apalled by the experience. "They had seen a religious festival at our house and knew that, as Hindus, the cow is sacred to us. But they insisted I carve beef at the table when they hosted a dinner party. I refused and said it was against everything I believed in," he told a Croydon newspaper.
Jyotika claims that her son Raj, 17, was once made to clean the Hastings-Evans’ dogs daily, despite having been allergic to animals. She said she got furious when her son's face broke into a rash. "I knew she was just making him do it to get back at us."
Although such programmes generally give rise to serious blow-ups between the participants, but there are good moments, too. The Mehtas were delighted by the appreciation their masters showed for their Shivani's performance of an Indian dance for a dinner party they were holding.
But the Mehtas have promised themselves never to repeat such an experience. They doubt they will ever see the Hastings-Evans again. But the experience has nevertheless made them think about the roles of servants in India, where the couple grew up before moving to the UK. Rajiv said: "We know now just how hard it is."
The particular episode will be televised on August 28.
The Mehta family-of-four from Norbury participated in the programme in which two families from completely different backgrounds agree to be each other's servants for a week each. The other family was the Hastings-Evans.
The Mehtas say the experience has left them emotionally drained. Jyotika Mehta, who works for the Home Office, said: "I think the Hastings-Evans were expecting a stately home with 20 or 30 bedrooms. They didn’t think they would end up in a Hindu family’s house in Croydon. They had to stay in a caravan outside in the street and they weren’t prepared for the differences in our cultures and traditions.
"They were nice enough but they hadn’t lifted a finger in their life. They were constantly telling us that we were slave drivers and refusing to do chores for health and safety reasons."
After a week at the Mehtas' home, the host family had to move to the Hastings-Evans home in Wokingham, Berkshire to be their servants. Rajiv Mehta was apalled by the experience. "They had seen a religious festival at our house and knew that, as Hindus, the cow is sacred to us. But they insisted I carve beef at the table when they hosted a dinner party. I refused and said it was against everything I believed in," he told a Croydon newspaper.
Jyotika claims that her son Raj, 17, was once made to clean the Hastings-Evans’ dogs daily, despite having been allergic to animals. She said she got furious when her son's face broke into a rash. "I knew she was just making him do it to get back at us."
Although such programmes generally give rise to serious blow-ups between the participants, but there are good moments, too. The Mehtas were delighted by the appreciation their masters showed for their Shivani's performance of an Indian dance for a dinner party they were holding.
But the Mehtas have promised themselves never to repeat such an experience. They doubt they will ever see the Hastings-Evans again. But the experience has nevertheless made them think about the roles of servants in India, where the couple grew up before moving to the UK. Rajiv said: "We know now just how hard it is."
The particular episode will be televised on August 28.