If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us, it is the importance of relationships. People around the world haven’t met friends and families for months now, but this has been a norm for a few others. Workers, domestic helpers and other expats working in Dubai don’t meet their families for months. This obviously is because they come to the UAE to save and therefore traveling to India is never a regular affair.
And this was the case for cleaner Ramesh Gangarajam Gandi- a housekeeping attendant in Dubai. The Telangana-born collected things, flowers and leaves as he was doing his daily duty of cleaning pavements. He quickly made a heart on the pavement using the twigs and dry flowers. An office-goer in Downtown Dubai quickly spotted it and clicked a picture and the photo went viral.
On that note, a Dubai hospital waives off AED 762000 bill of Indian Covid patient.
Winning Hearts
In an interview with Gulf News, Gandhi said he made the heart for his parents, whom he was missing dearly. His parents haven’t been well and Gandhi has been missing them. He also thought of his brother in Oman and finally his wife whom he hadn’t met in a year now.
Gandhi also added that while his art work has caught the attention on many, he didn’t want anyone to think he was upset or sad. He is thankful he has a good job and enjoys going to work everyday. “I’m surprised people who have seen the photograph think I am sad and that is why I made the heart. I actually feel very lucky. I have a good job and love going to work every day. I have a wife and close family. I have a lot to be thankful for,” Gandhi told Gulf News. Also read this story of a Dubai couple who returned home with a AED 50,000 bills after 105 days in Maldives.
He further added that he was missing his family dearly and the pandemic has led to a lot of people feeling the same way. ” I think that’s normal. We all want to spend time with our families, and because of travel restrictions, that has been impossible”, he said. That said, Gandhi plans to take off for a few days in August to meet his family. His father is old and has been ill for a long time. His brother works in Oman and so Gandhi plans to stay with his parents for sometime to take care of them.
Well, we wish him all the luck and perhaps, he might even create a sweet family portrait before his India trip! On that note, here’s a step by step guide for expats returning to the UAE.