By Amar Raj Naharki
Tanahun, Mar. 7: In his poignant poem, Aama (Mother), poet Krishna Prasad Bhattarai writes that a mother’s love is incomparable to anything else on this earth. Her selflessness and sacrifices are indeed the purest and honest emotions that we ever encounter. Raising a child is a herculean task, and only parents realise its trials and tribulations. But at times, children fail to appreciate their love and instead end up hurting them — often mentally, and also physically.
At Tanahun’s Vyas Municipality-5, several parents abandoned by their estranged sons and daughters, now find solace in an elderly care home. Run entirely by women, caregivers at Vedvyas Elderly Aashram make sure that they treat the elderly as their own parents. Apart from catering to their daily needs, such as sanitation, nutrition, clothing, and health, the aashram also makes arrangement for the last rites for the deceased.
“We don’t have to worry about medicines during sickness, nor bother about preparing meals. The staffs here make sure that we get exactly what we want to eat,” claimed 76-year-old Bimala Bhattarai, who has stayed at the aashram for the last eight years.
Moreover, 94-year-old Ramnath Khanal of Bhanu Municipality-4 has been at the elderly home ever since its establishment. Treated with contempt at home, Khanal claims to have finally found the respect he deserved as a senior citizen after coming to the aashram. “For a long time, I suffered at the hands of physically abusing sons and disrespectful daughters-in-law. But at least here I have a decent place to survive in peace,” he explained.
Likewise, for Tol Bahadur Thapa, 80, of Myagde Rural Municipality-6, the elderly home has become a faithful companion in his twilight years. With a mentally-challenged daughter incapable of taking care of her own, let alone her aging parents, Thapa came to live at Vedvyas along with his wife. Sadly, Thapa’s wife passed away three years ago. “The people here were really helpful to give my dear departed wife a proper send-off. They carried her body to the river bank and cremated her there,” he said.
The women of the Vedvyas themselves lift the deceased on their shoulders and take them to the river bank while observing and carrying out all the rituals of the funeral. Established approximately eight years ago, the elderly home
is a brainchild of a group of women from Damauli, each of whom come from a different background and profession. So far, the aashram houses four elderly mothers and three fathers. According to caretaker Chairperson, Shakuntala Ale, the idea was conceived to cater to poor elderly parents who had lost all means of support. “We entirely comprise of women because we collectively believe that women should not be limited to giving birth and marriage. Social work is also our responsibility,” she added.
The asshram’s management committee comprises 15 women with additional 325 local women members contributing in one way or another.