MM : Sunset is a ray of light : Sept 7, 2007

SUNSET IS A RAYOF LIGHT
Chris Khetan travels north of the city and finds a very optimistic old age
home

Seventy six-year-old Kusum Naik was admitted into a hospital a few
months ago. "In the course of my hospitalization I went up to heaven, up
there they asked me why was I foolish enough to leave the real paradise?"
And then she delivers her punch line, "So I came right back."

    The 'paradise' is Vayaska Sahavaas, an old-age home 160 km north of
Mumbai.

    Kusum left her Mulund home in November last year to escape the isolation
and pace of Mumbai - a duality many endure.

    Bhagwanji Desai, the oldest inmate at 92 years, also refers to his newly
adopted home as a paradise. He left his old address in Malad and has been
staying at the home for the last eight months. It's taken but a month of
stay for another Mumbaikar, 64-year old Arvind to coerce his younger sister
to join him at Vayaska Sahavaas. The brother-sister duo are now blissful in
each other's company much like decades ago, when they were kids.

    Dr Ajay Desai, the brain behind the home, along with four other
colleagues started a foundation called the Aadhar Trust aimed at ending the
misery of senior citizens by housing them in a safe place. Ravi Bhat, a bank
manager in the city and one of the trustees, retires this December after
which he plans on moving permanently with his wife to oversee matters at the
home. His eyes get teary as he relates the account of one of the inmates,
who neglected by his family was found roaming the streets and alleys of
Dahisar for hours, soiled and dehydrated. Bhat says, "His son dropped him
here and said that they couldn't care for him anymore or even pay the home's
nominal fee of Rs 2000 per month, but we didn't care for the money, we just
wanted to take in the old man."

    From mistreatment to loneliness, illness to poverty, the problems the
old face are numerous and complex.

    The home is located off National Highway 8, in a little village called
Dungri in Udwada. A visitor is led down three kms of winding narrow road
flanked on either side by lush greenery. The home emerges unsuspectingly,
the facility's intended seven acres is still untouched green field except
for the imposing entrance, manicured gardens on the front and two
double-storeyed structures; one for administration purposes and the other
housing the inmates.

    The calm and solitude of Vayaska Sahavaas is overwhelming and seems a
bit unfamiliar to the untrained senses of the city dweller. The residents
are found; lounging and chatting in the reception area, browsing in the
library, watching TV or cat-napping in their rooms. Life moves at a snail's
pace and no one makes excuses for it. Bhagwanji at 92, walks a km every
morning. Benkuvar misses her family but enjoys the peace and freedom from
household chores. Kusum plays her harmonium; entertaining some with her
renditions of Madhuri's Ek Do Teen while annoying others. As for Savita, she
has stopped taking her pills, she finds she doesn't need them. "I don't miss
Mumbai, from here I'll go straight to the crematorium," she announces
satisfied.

Contact Aadhaar Trust: 2863 6081/aadhaartrust@rediffmail.com

Publication:Mumbai Mirror; Date:Sep 7, 2007; Section:Bombay Buck; Page
Number:12

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