By Joe Andrade and Ronald D’Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Bahrain
March 25, 2007
Not many of us venture out at a young age into the open world. Doing so today could entail even a great risk!
Here is a woman who took on the mantle of responsibility decades ago to take care of her needy parents and seven siblings comprising a boy and six girls.
Carmine Coutinho
Way back in 1936, Carmine Coutinho, daughter of Francis Countinho and Anna Rodrigues, at a tender age of 12, defied all odds and the reluctance of her aging parents, left home and travelled to Bombay in search of greener pastures. For 20 prime years of her youth, she worked doing all kinds of household chores and cooking in Bombay for different families with zeal and enthusiasm.
With her contacts in Bombay, she managed to land another job in New Delhi in April 1946 where she served in the household of General K M Cariappa - who later became the C-in-C of Indian armed forces and was in 1986 made an honorary Field Marshal - and his wife Muthu for four years while they were staying in Hotel Marina. She remembers her stint with the Cariappas, who were strict disciplinarians and a pleasure to work for. Although a top military General, he was a soft-spoken person, she says.
From 1950 to 1954 she worked in Bombay for a Jewish family near Churchgate and from 1955 to 1959 for a Sindhi family.
It is by sheer chance that her pursuit brought her to the Middle East to work for a Royal family in Bahrain. One day, in Bombay, while on her usual chores of taking tiffin for children, she spotted a huge gathering in a nearby office.
Curiosity led her there and on learning that the group was seeking interviews for jobs in the Middle East for a Royal family, she too gave the interview. As luck would have it, she was one among the three candidates selected from those interviewed and that brought her to the shores of Bahrain on March 18, 1959.
She travelled to her new-found destination by sea on a passenger-cum-cargo steamer, a journey that took at least 10 days, weather conditions permitting. With commitment and dedication to her duty, she took care of the Royal family member’s children from their birth. Her employers gave her the respect she deserved in appreciation of her faithful service and took care of her health as well. She never had any reason to complain of ill-treatment at her employer’s hands but, on the other hand, was treated as one of their own, even was taken around the world with them.
Carmine with her former Royal family employer's children, now in high places
Today, she proudly recalls that four of those children are in top ministerial positions or as undersecretaries in various arms of the government. She worked for the Royal family from 1959 to 1983 and then took voluntary retirement. She reminisces over her first vacation to her homeland on April 24, 1961 and also the tragic incident of a passenger-cum-cargo steamer that exploded and sank just a few months earlier in January that year on sailing from Bahrain. She was lucky not to have boarded the steamer on voyage for some personal reason.
Today, Carmine Coutinho is spending a happy retired life in Bajpe, Managalore and she is totally overwhelmed while narrating how her former Royal employers take care of her, keep visiting her every year in Bajpe and even stay at their place for a week or so. She now spends her time between her home in Bajpe and Bahrain visiting her near and dear ones in Bahrain for 5 to 6 months.
In 1990, when her former Royal employer was seriously ill, Carmine was in India. His employer called her back to Bahrain, summoned all his family members and children together and instructed them: “This is the lady who took care of you all so well when you were young. Now it is your turn to take care of her”
In 2004, she had the honour and privilege of being a special guest to meet the Pope in Rome along with her former Royal employer’s family who went on a Vatican visit. They attended the Papal Mass together. They also sent her to the Holy Land, which was a dream-come-true for her. Hard work and dedication always pays, she says. She thanks Almighty for a life full of blessings and abundant love and affection from all corners.
Carmine is now 83, and will be travelling back home to Mangalore by the inaugural Air India Express flight on Sunday, March 25, 2007. Years ago, it took her many days to reach her airport hometown Bajpe and that too by sea. Today, she just can’t believe it but feels she has been blessed with wings to reach her home-sweet-home in just a matter of few hours, across the Arabian waters!
“Wow, only two steps to my home,” she delightfully quips.
Bon Voyage, Mama Carmine !
Bahrain - Mangalore Historic Day: