Ratna Prabha
Amma’s voice breaks the calm of dawn. “Asha, wake Anish. He’ll be late for school.”
“His alarm is 4 minutes 24 seconds away, now 23 seconds,” Asha replies as she peels the last potato, her slender hands working without a pause. Her mahogany skin is smooth and flawless. The pleats of her elegantly-draped saree fall gracefully. The brown in her eyes twinkles to golden-yellow in the morning light’s reflection.
“A few minutes before the alarm is okay, Asha. Anyway, he whines a lot before actually getting off the bed.”
“Okay, Amma,” Asha replies, walking a minute later towards Anish’s bedroom. The peeled and mashed potatoes, spiced and salted to perfection, and the soft dough for the parathas are ready and resting in one corner of the kitchen slab.
“Two more minutes, Asha.” Anish’s whine is heard.
Amma beams in pleasure as she hears the click of a switch. Asha had switched off the fan.
Yay! My training is working!
Asha yanks off the cozy blanket. Anish screeches angrily.
“ASHA!” “GIVE IT BACK!”
Asha is as cool as a cucumber and ignores his rants. He shuts up as soon as his mother walks in and gives him an “enough-of-this-childishness” glare.
“Get up and get ready for school, Anish.”
Anish continues to grumble, but under his breath.
Catching a breath between the usual mother-son morning fights, Asha says, “The temperature of the water is a perfect 98 degrees F. Have a quick shower while I get your uniform ready.”
Asha picks out his uniform even as she commands the AI-aided iron box, “Heat up for cotton.”
Asha places the uniform on the table, and the iron box glides out from its stand. Within a couple of minutes, a crisply ironed uniform set is ready for Anish.
Anish comes out of the bathroom wet, water droplets forming a little pool at his feet, and clad in nothing. Asha dries him down and helps him with his uniform.
While she is doing this, she calls out to Robot Rani, “Mop up the water near the bathroom door.”
A whirring sound starts immediately as Robot Rani circles like a model and slurps up the water, leaving the floor clean and dry in minutes.
She drones in her AI-aided voice, “Ok, Asha?”
“Next, go to the kitchen. Amma has finished her morning chores. Clean up the floor, and then move to the dining and living rooms.”
“Ok, Asha.”
“Don’t go to the master bedroom. Appa returned late last night and is still sleeping. Clean that room immediately when he comes out.”
“Okay,” drones Robot Rani, swirling away to do her chores.
Amma calls from the kitchen, “Toast and omelette ready, Anish.”
Anish walks out of his room with his school satchel and sits at the table. Asha follows him, takes the plate from Amma, and places it in front of Anish.
Anish is smiling now. His morning blues have disappeared, and he loves his breakfast. He is ready to face the day.
“What would I do without you, Asha? You help me with everything, from changing my clothes to doing my homework.” His grin spreads from ear to ear. A hint of a smile plays on Asha’s face.
Amma smiles too, “Asha, remember the laundry.”
Asha walks unhurriedly to load dirty clothes into the washing machine. Her timing is perfect.
Just as she turns on the switch, Anish finishes his breakfast – well, almost. She force-feeds him the last bit on the plate, exactly like Amma taught her.
“No wasting food!” Amma had repeated this multiple times in the past six months, and it was now a sacred, unbreakable tenet for Asha.
The school bus’s hoot is heard over the whirring of Rani and the washing machine. Anish, with Asha in tow, heaving his bag with ease, leaves the house.
“Bye, Amma.”
Amma calls after them, “Bye, Anish. Asha, pick up the groceries.”
“Yes, Amma. I just checked the list you shared.”
Just as they leave, Appa comes out of the master bedroom. In an instant, Robot Rani enters the master bedroom, nearly grazing Appa’s ankle.
He jumps and yells, “Why can’t it wait for a couple more minutes before rushing in?”
Robot Rani continues working in stony silence.
Amma smiles at her husband’s morning irritation, “Like father, like son! Not morning larks! Asha did tell her to clean the master bedroom immediately after you exited it.”
Appa grumbled, “We must teach Asha not to use words like immediately, never, etc. These goddamn gadgets are too precise for our own good. Sometimes, I miss our old Kaveriamma’s lazy, imperfect way of working. There was space for humanness!”
“Ya! Ya! There was more dust after she swept than before! And her mop was either too wet or too dry for a clean finish. Rani is perfect.”
Robot Rani whirrs incessantly, oblivious to the praise!
“Kaveriamma was so slack with Anish’s discipline, too! And not to mention the number of approved and unapproved holidays she took. Asha is so good with him.”
“Imperfection keeps us grounded,” mumbles Appa. “Alexa, turn on the TV and the news channels, please.”
The TV turns on and noise of impending wars, war of words between leaders of different nations, accidents, rapes of men and women, inflation, and more stifle the earnest whirr of the cleaning machines.
A half-hour later, Asha walks in with the groceries just as Appa finishes his parathas and two cups of chai.
“Good mor….” Asha’s voice whines to a sudden stop. Luckily, she had placed the groceries on the table by then.
Appa gets up from his seat, pulls out the charger from Asha’s slender, ebony neck, and plugs it into the charging point.
“You forgot to charge Asha again!” Appa fumes. Amma looks sheepishly apologetic and rushes to Asha to archive today’s data before they get erased.
This post is a part of Storytellers Bloghop hosted by MeenalSonal (link www.auraofthoughts.com) & Ujjwal Mishra ( link mywordsmywisdom.com)
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.
You can read some of your retellings from our puranas and itihasas here:
https://storiesmadesimple.in/wp-admin/post.php?post=269009&action=edit
https://storiesmadesimple.in/wp-admin/post.php?post=268836&action=edit
[…] You can read her interesting take on the prompt Here! […]
Hey, I just read Asha – The Indispensable Help and I’m truly moved. The way you’ve portrayed Asha’s dedication and resilience is so real and heart-touching. I loved how you highlighted her strength and the quiet yet powerful role she plays in the household. It made me reflect on how often we overlook the efforts of those who make our lives easier. Your storytelling felt so raw and genuine that I could almost visualize Asha and her everyday struggles. The emotional depth you brought to this narrative is commendable. It’s a beautiful reminder to appreciate people who work tirelessly behind the scenes.
Wow, that’s such a beautiful perception of my story. I didn’t give this idea any thought. But now, I feel my tale does emit the vibe of caring and apprecation too. Thank you, Romila.
I began to wonder how rich we have to be to be able to afford this army of robots
will we find them in India? 
Glad Asha and Rani disciplined Anish, and the house without dust and heat is a true dream. Enjoyed reading your story Ratna.
Oh my, if only I had an Asha to help me with the household chores too. Having someone discipline, clean and do grocery shopping for us, that too with perfection is a dream. Does Appa have a point here though? It’s human to err, right? Without them life would probably be boring. Food for thought. Enjoyed the story!
Don’t we all want an Asha in our lives? Hope!
I’m not a big fan of automation, especially the extreme (my opinion only) way it’s going today. I brought that out through Appa in this story. Thank you, Varsh, for appreciative comments.
Dont we need an Asha in our life, provided we dont forget to charge her. Such a sweet story about human- AI bond. So glad that at the end of the day, its humans who are in charge.
Hahaha! What a beautiful read. While reading, I had a doubt that Asha might be a robot too, but your writing didn’t confirm that till the very end. Wish to have someone as perfect as Asha!
Hehehe! Happy you liked the tale. thank you, Nitisha
Such a sweet story. We all wish for an Asha in our lives!
The way Asha seamlessly integrates into the family’s daily routine, knowing everyone’s needs down to the exact second, is both impressive and heartwarming. Her dedication reminds me of the unsung heroes in many households who keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes. The moment when Amma’s voice breaks the calm of dawn, calling out to Asha to wake Anish, paints such a vivid picture of the household’s rhythm. It’s evident that Asha’s presence is the glue holding everything together, and her anticipation of tasks showcases her deep understanding and commitment. Your portrayal sheds light on the invaluable role of domestic helpers and the profound impact they have on our lives. It made me reflect on the importance of acknowledging and appreciating their contributions daily. Thank you for sharing this touching narrative; it’s a beautiful reminder of gratitude and recognition for those who support us in our daily lives.
#BlogaberryDazzle
This was such an engaging read! I loved the way Asha’s presence was built up so seamlessly, making her feel almost human until the twist at the end. The blend of technology and everyday life was so relatable yet thought-provoking. Great storytelling!
I felt it was all real! I loved how you have got the story running. including a help wit tech in daily life is such a good one
It is nice to see you dabbling in non-mythological topics too and that’s a fine story too.
It reminded me of the Netflix series – Cassandra, of course Cassandra has dark secrets compared to our innocent Asha and Rani here.
This does not feel futuristic anymore though, with some amount of automation already in our homes, Asha and Rani could become reality for us very soon.
True about the futuristic comment you made. That an Asha would become part and parcel of every Indian household like Kaveriamma was until now is what I thought would be a near future scene. Thank you, Preeti for your lovely comments.
That’s one of the lovely futuristic stories I have read! Reminded me of Anukul written by Satyajit Ray!
I’ve not read Ankul. Will definitely read now. That my writing reminded you of the great Ray fills me with pride and joy. Thank you, Aditya.
First two-three paras I couldn’t gauge Asha being a robot. I do somewhere I agree with Appa though when he says, “Imperfection keeps us grounded”
Enjoyed reading the climax which proved exactly this point. All the best for the hop, Ratna. Hope you win it
Thank you, Manali. Some great stories in the hop. Am happy with the opportunity to participate. Anything else is a bonus.
Oh my God! While we seek perfection, we don’t realize that imperfection keeps us grounded, like Appa said. I can’t imagine being surrounded by robots to do everything, but at one time, I’m sure we will get there. A well, imagined post, Ratna.
Thank you, Janaki. And yep, perfection can be detrimental if not balanced, I think.
Beautiful story with a wonderful twist. We all need someone like Asha to manage chores. Well, the world has moved from the imperfections of Kaveriamma to the perfectionist Asha but what are we missing, time is to tell.
From mythology to AI-powered robots! This is an amazing and heartfelt tale, Ratna. if only we all could do our work ourselves! Now we have AI helping us in everything making us lazier and broader :p
I know, Harjeet. We are becoming increasingly lazy! But I suppose “evolution” and movement can hardly be stopped! Somewhere, some time, the circle will turn. Thank you for your comments, Harjeet. And I do write contemporary stories too.
I really enjoyed how you brought AI into the story in such a natural way. Robot Rani was a fun touch, and loved how Asha used tech to make life easier while still keeping things personal and warm. The little imperfections with the family felt so real, and it made the whole mix of tradition and technology really relatable. Very well used the theme.
Where do I find this Asha? Lovely tale but that I too would like the Kaveriamm only with or without dust !
AI story – I was expecting another mythology. But I like the way you infuse AI in this story. Asha…..I really need you. Doing everything so perfectly and maintaining cleanliness. Where will I find Asha?
Ratanji… You are really a storyteller
I absolutely loved this! The way Asha seamlessly blends into the family’s routine, yet the twist at the end caught me completely off guard. Such a clever, thought-provoking take on AI and human imperfection.
I am just waiting for these Asha’s to become affordable and easily available for people like us!! Enjoyed reading the story!
I love how this story seamlessly blends tradition with technology, making Asha’s role feel both warm and futuristic. The ending took me by surprise—such a clever and thought-provoking twist!
This is the first I’m reading a non-mythological post from you and well done! I was invested in your story from the very beginning.
Asha was really dedicated. I am amazed by the amount of robot stories I am coming across. Do you really think that this is what our future looks like?