voluntary agencies and care of old aged
TRANSCRIPT
VOLUNTARY AGENCIES
AND CARE OF OLD AGEDA study based on the organizations for old
aged persons in Varanasi
by
Dr. Umesh K. Singh
About Varanasi
The city of Varanasi, popularly known
as Kashi, stands high in the Hindu
psyche with all its glory of
antiquity, religious symbol and sacred
spaces. With its rich religio-cultural
ethos, this city has a unique and
important meaning for devout Hindus.
Umesh K Singh
Kashi is described as mukti dayani or moksha dayani.
Those who are living outside Kashikeenly desire to die in Kashi, if not, at least cremation in Kashi or immersion of the ash in the river Ganga at Kashi.
It is believed that not only dying, cremation and other after death rituals, but simply living in this city helps liberation of the soul from its bondage and for accumulation of punya.
Umesh K Singh
About the study
The present study is an exploration of the role of voluntary agencies the in care of old aged persons in the religio-cultural context of the city of Varanasi.
The study attempts to understand the types of religio-cultural organizations available for old aged persons in Varanasi. It tries to know the facilities provided by these organizations and the activities performed by them. The study further explores the kinds of inmates availing the services of these organizations. It seeks to understand the life situation of the old aged persons living in these organizations, what life-values they hold and whether they are satisfied in the institutional setting available to them.
Umesh K Singh
The present study has covered
following voluntary organizations of
the city –
1.Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service: Home for
the Aged, Luxa, Varanasi
2. Kashi Labh Mukti Bhawan, Misir Pokhra, Varanasi
3.Kashi Mumukshu Bhawan, Assi, Varanasi
4. Missionaries of Charity’s Nirmal Hriday: Home for
the Poor and Destitute, Shivala, Varanasi
Umesh K Singh
The Inmates of Old Age Homes
Kinds of inmates availing the organizations under the study have varied socio-economic background and personal history, and they also have different reasons for availing the services of these institutions. Institution wise every institution seems to cater the needs of a specific set of old aged persons and this makes every institution unique in their own way. Yet, in most of the cases, there is a shared feeling of religiosity and awareness of the cultural ethos of the city that binds the inmates and the organization in an organic unity.
Umesh K Singh
The Life-Situation and the Life-
Values of the Inmates Day-to-day life-situation of the inmates
and their routine activities in the organization varies depending on the institution they are living in. Not only this, they also hold different life-values that depict their belief pattern and mind set.
The life-situation and life-values of the inmates of the old age homes included in the present survey depict some common strands and considerable variation too.
Umesh K Singh
Concluding Remarks
Our survey of the old aged homes run by different charitable organizations in the holy city of Kashi makes it very clear that culture, especially religion, can provide a very valuable ‘context’ to the life-situation and life-values of the old aged persons.
The general tenor of the modernizing society may be towards individualism, formalism, and goal-directed and self-centred activities, yet in the case of old aged homes in Kashi, the compassion, the charity and the societal help to the helpless are still the dominant norms.
Umesh K Singh