THE TURNING POINT

One incident which we both witnessed made a deep impact on us and which in a way had a bearing on our decision to set up the Home. A mentally sick man was sitting near a large waste bin with waste strewn around him. Suddenly a luxury car pulled up near the place, a window rolled down and a packet of food was thrown towards the hapless man. Immediately after this the car sped away. Both of us became curious about this peculiar act of generosity and broached with a nearby stall owner about it. He told us that the hapless soul was a member of the family which drove by in the car but was later disowned and left to the vagaries of harsh street life because of his mental retardation.

My husband Ravi Kiran and I often saw mentally depressed and retarded people for days, months and sometimes years together near garbage heaps, roads, bus stands and public places. Sometimes deserted old people were found in bus stands and bus shelters. We felt sad and the urge to save these people increased with time. We were running a convenience store and doing well financially. But we felt a sense of uneasiness and helplessness. Our heart was elsewhere. Years were rolling by.

THE BEGINNINGS OF THE ASHRAM

In 2005, we decided to take the plunge. I was 30 and my husband 33. Pallavi, our daughter, was 3 years old by then. My parents had given me 2 acres of land as a gift at the time of marriage. I sold that land; it fetched 2 lakh rupees. We took premises on rent—3 rooms with a compound in Pothamchettipally village in Rangareddy district and started the “Pallavi Anadha Vrudhapya and Mentally Retarded Home (Pallavi Destitute, Old Age and Mentally Retarded Home)” in September, 2005.

We had no idea about official procedures. So a year and a half later on 20th April, 2007 we arranged a formal inauguration of the Home by the then R.D.O. (Revenue Divisional Officer) of Medak Sri B.V.V.S.Murthy. Later we registered the Home, The registration number is 728/2008. Currently, there are 35 inmates in the Pallavi Anadha Vrudhapya and Mentally Retarded Home.

The Home is presently built on 700 square yards of land given by a donor at Dundigal Village 25 kms from Hyderabad. The structures are built with the generosity of good hearted people. There is a kitchen; two halls with a verandah in front and attached bathroom – one for women and one for men; a dining area with stone tables and benches so that the inmates can eat comfortably. All the structures are asbestos roofed.

First inmate of the Home

As soon as the Home was setup in September, 2005, I came to hear of a woman near Medchal bus stop, who seemed depressed and lost. I went there and saw her sitting near the dustbin and eating deteriorated food. She tore pieces of cloth from the rags strewn around and tied them to her hair. There were almost 10 kgs of rags tied to her hair. Her scalp was hanging down because of the weight. When I tried to talk to her she tried to avoid me. I instinctively called her Lakshmi and she surprisingly responded. I asked her to come home with me. She agreed. I informed the Medchal police station and took her home. It took 3 hours for me and my husband to shave her head as there was no way to get rid of the rags tied to her hair.

Lakshmi, thus, became the first inmate of our Home. She speaks Marathi and sings beautiful bhajans in Marathi imagining herself before an audience by closing her fist like a mike.

	SRIMATI SRIDEVI