INDIA: Party Time for Grandpas and Grandmas in Coimbatore

COIMBATORE, Tamil Nadu (ANI, NewKerala), April 19, 2006: Life is all about celebrating every moment to the fullest. When it comes to have a gala time through dancing there must be no age bar. This is what one felt after watching around 750 Grannies and Grandpas from over 40 old-age homes participating in Thaatha Patti Vanga(or, Passion festival) held here recently. It was a thrill to watch the seniors have a great time, when they preferred to shake their legs, sing favourite songs and participate in games. The evening was organised by Avinashilingam (deemed university) and Indiram Educational and Social Welfare Trust in association with HelpAge India. "Modern society has become a fast moving world, people have nuclear families, and they go to different places leaving their father and mother in the village. They are not cared for. We want to create awareness in the students and grownups that we must care for the old," said Kulandaivelu, organizer and chancellor, Avinashilingam. The "Thaatha Patti Vanga" festival for the aged was aimed to draw attention of those who abandon parents at old aged homes. But it was a medium for the aged people to reflect their love and affection towards each other. The aged were given a special reception by the students of Avinashilingam university. "We want the elderly to be independent, to sustain themselves. So we give them financial aid to start a small shop or rear animals like goat and cows," said Raja of HelpAge India. For some individuals, it was an opportunity to share the woes that led them to take refuge in the old age home. "I have four children, and I gave them good education and now they are well-settled, when they got married, I was alone and started to keep daughters of my sisters with me which neither my son or daughter-in-law liked, and they stopped taking care of me. Since I am very old, I was forced to come out of the house an join this old age home and now I am very happy with the inmates in this old age home," said Saraswathi, a resident of an old age home. "I have six children and I gave them good education and all of them are in a good position. I even borrowed money to enable them to reach such heights. Later, when they all got married they asked me to search for a job and settle in a home, I cried and begged to let me stay in the house itself. But they refused and dragged me away from the house and told me to stay in some old age home. I decided to join an old age home in Coimbatore and today I am very happy," said Xavier, another old age home inmate. By Jehovah G, Coimbatore