Subsidized meal for elders - Ahmadabad - private trust initiative
Sumptuous hope served to elders for 10
Parth Shastri & Bhadresh Gajjar , TNN | Nov 28, 2011, 05.06AM IST AHMEDABAD: Every morning as the clock strikes 11, aroma of freshly
cooked daal and vegetables wafts through the air from one of the
houses in a narrow lane of Dhal ni pol in Astodia. Slowly, a long
queue of old people carrying tiffins builds up outside this small
one-room house. A sense of satisfaction is writ large of their faces,
which otherwise speak of loneliness and exhaustion, once Ramesh Mehta
and his family members pack their tiffins with food. It is easy to mistake this as another money-churning tiffin business.
But, one is humbled to see that this sumptuous lunch of 10 chappatis,
rice, subji and sprouted pulses is provided to the senior citizens at
just Rs 10; a full meal at an ordinary roadside joint does not cost
less than Rs 30.
Mehta is God-sent for several old-aged people in the walled city,
whose families have been disintegrated after their children left them
to settle in western Ahmedabad.
Mehta, a former businessman who ran a successful mukhvaas (mouth
fresheners) business in Astodia for years together, established
Giriraj Sewa Kendra in Dhal ni pol, with a noble idea to serve such
needy seniors. "As I spent many years living in this pol, I got to
know a number of elders who had refused to move out from with their
children as they had spent their entire life in the pol. Then they had
nobody to take care of their needs," says Mehta, who started this
service in 2007.
Several old-age people suffered from the empty nest syndrome after
their only son or daughter got married and lived somewhere else. "Such
elders had problems of meals as they couldn't cook," he says.
Initially he started supplying food for free. But, later he
encountered a unique problem of many old-aged people out rightly
rejecting free meals. "So we started charging Rs 10 as a token amount
for the service. We, however, continue to provide free tiffins to some
extremely needy persons. We established a trust in 2008 and expanded
scope of our work," he said.
A group of volunteers start filling up tiffins by 11 am the stock gets
over within an hour. A battery of 15 women start preparing the
chappatis from early morning and five other women prepare daal and
vegetables for 150 persons.
Vimlaben, the head of the cooking team, said, "This is the best
service we can provide to the needy. 'Annadan Mahadaan', says our
scriptures."
Today, senior citizens from far-off places like Vatva, Vasna,
Bapunagar and Kalupur also avail of this service. The activity also
attracted donors whom Mehta is indebted too.
"We also get sweets from people who celebrate their birthdays for the
elderly. We have made a rule that only people above 60 years of age
can avail the service to prevent misuse," said Mehta. Source:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/-Sumptuous-hope-served-to-e...
=== Dr P Vyasamoorthy, 30 Gruhalakshmi Colony Secunderabad 500015 Ph
040-27846631 / 9490804278.My blog:
http://vyasa-kaaranam-ketkadey.blogspot.com/ Hyderabadis: Remember to attend 29th Nov meeting on Diabetes by
Harmony in Lions Bhavan at 4.00pm.
Parth Shastri & Bhadresh Gajjar , TNN | Nov 28, 2011, 05.06AM IST AHMEDABAD: Every morning as the clock strikes 11, aroma of freshly
cooked daal and vegetables wafts through the air from one of the
houses in a narrow lane of Dhal ni pol in Astodia. Slowly, a long
queue of old people carrying tiffins builds up outside this small
one-room house. A sense of satisfaction is writ large of their faces,
which otherwise speak of loneliness and exhaustion, once Ramesh Mehta
and his family members pack their tiffins with food. It is easy to mistake this as another money-churning tiffin business.
But, one is humbled to see that this sumptuous lunch of 10 chappatis,
rice, subji and sprouted pulses is provided to the senior citizens at
just Rs 10; a full meal at an ordinary roadside joint does not cost
less than Rs 30.
Mehta is God-sent for several old-aged people in the walled city,
whose families have been disintegrated after their children left them
to settle in western Ahmedabad.
Mehta, a former businessman who ran a successful mukhvaas (mouth
fresheners) business in Astodia for years together, established
Giriraj Sewa Kendra in Dhal ni pol, with a noble idea to serve such
needy seniors. "As I spent many years living in this pol, I got to
know a number of elders who had refused to move out from with their
children as they had spent their entire life in the pol. Then they had
nobody to take care of their needs," says Mehta, who started this
service in 2007.
Several old-age people suffered from the empty nest syndrome after
their only son or daughter got married and lived somewhere else. "Such
elders had problems of meals as they couldn't cook," he says.
Initially he started supplying food for free. But, later he
encountered a unique problem of many old-aged people out rightly
rejecting free meals. "So we started charging Rs 10 as a token amount
for the service. We, however, continue to provide free tiffins to some
extremely needy persons. We established a trust in 2008 and expanded
scope of our work," he said.
A group of volunteers start filling up tiffins by 11 am the stock gets
over within an hour. A battery of 15 women start preparing the
chappatis from early morning and five other women prepare daal and
vegetables for 150 persons.
Vimlaben, the head of the cooking team, said, "This is the best
service we can provide to the needy. 'Annadan Mahadaan', says our
scriptures."
Today, senior citizens from far-off places like Vatva, Vasna,
Bapunagar and Kalupur also avail of this service. The activity also
attracted donors whom Mehta is indebted too.
"We also get sweets from people who celebrate their birthdays for the
elderly. We have made a rule that only people above 60 years of age
can avail the service to prevent misuse," said Mehta. Source:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/-Sumptuous-hope-served-to-e...
=== Dr P Vyasamoorthy, 30 Gruhalakshmi Colony Secunderabad 500015 Ph
040-27846631 / 9490804278.My blog:
http://vyasa-kaaranam-ketkadey.blogspot.com/ Hyderabadis: Remember to attend 29th Nov meeting on Diabetes by
Harmony in Lions Bhavan at 4.00pm.
