Sanjeev Kumar Sharma
journosanjeev@gmail.com
For all the necessities of life, one visits malls, vendors or opts for online shopping and gets the required things which to some extent gives a sense of satisfaction. If one sits quietly and peacefully and concentrates on things yet to be achieved in life, unexpected and unlimited restlessness intrudes mind forcing one to believe that something intangible is essentially required which remained missing in the life so far and before that particular thing, all the material possessions are meaningless.
This something is peace of mind, achieving which appears to be spiritual, and this product of spirituality is purchased by the currency of blessings, good deeds, positive thinking, helping others, fearing God, praying God, always remaining thankful to the God for all the things we have been blessed with so far in our life. In fact, serving the needy and getting blessings can pave the way to spirituality.
Can you believe that there is a place in our Jammu where one can offer selfless services and from where one can get unlimited blessings? The place is abode of some elders-both men and women. Scores of these elders, in the age groups of our mothers-fathers live in an atmosphere of love and care and none reprimands them, none finds faults in their behaviour and none asks them to work.
The abode of elders in talk here is the popular ‘Vridh Ashram/Home for Aged and Infirm’ in Jammu.
For the last many decades, the Home for Aged and Infirm, situated at Ambphalla area of Jammu city has proved beyond ones thinking, as a home for those elders who were either disowned by their loved ones or who are the victims of circumstances.
As one steps into the building of this Vridh Ashram, few innocent wrinkled faces with smiles on lips greet with folded hands saying “Namaste Ji” which promptly triggers similar greetings from the other side.
Though there is a total comfortable capacity of 90 persons in the complex of Vridh Ashram, housed in two buildings on the either side of the road leading to the famous ‘Gao Shala’ (cow shelter) of Jammu, there are only 45 inmates at present, including 23 men and 22 women in the age group of 65 to 90, wherein both the eldest and the youngest of inmates are women.
Dr. Dinesh Gupta, presently the Secretary of the Vridh Ashram is a man with big name and a long list of social works and he remained very much vibrant during his tenure in the Indian Red Cross Society, where he was a Secretary for more than 20 years.
“Majority of inmates at the Vridh Ashram are from J&K while some are from others States like West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Punjab and even from Nepal and presently people from all the religions are accommodated in this place,” informed Dr. Gupta.
When asked, what if some elder at the Vridh Ashram falls sick, he informed that Dr. Bharat Bhushan Sharma, a retired Chief Medical Officer (CMO) takes care of such inmates who fall sick in the Vridh Ashram and if need arises the sick person is hospitalised.
Dr. Gupta also said that if some inmate elder dies in the Vridh Ashram, then those who got him/her admitted here are called and if they avoid taking the body, then the Ashram gets cremation and all other rituals of the deceased person done.
A visit at the Ashram brought to fore the daily routine there in which the elders wake up in morning between 6.15 am to 6.30 am and get tea along with biscuits by 6.45 am. They are served breakfast at designated halls at 9 am and juice is also served to them by 11.30 am after which lunch is fed to these elders at 1 pm, tea-snacks at 4 pm and dinner by 7 pm. After dinner, milk is served to all the inmates by 8.15 pm.
The Secretary, Dr. Dinesh Gupta informed that medical check-ups are also conducted on the elder inmates of the Vridh Ashram in routine after a certain period of time while a team from the office of CMO comprising doctors and para-medical staff also visits the Ashram once a week and conducts health check-up of the inmates.
“If some relative visits, then the inmate is informed and only if he/she (inmate) agrees, the relative is allowed to meet the inmate,” he further said adding that many others like school, college and university students also visit the Ashram to meet the inmates and get their priceless blessings.
The Vridh Ashram of Jammu presents an excellent infrastructure with two buildings, both triple storey, but both lacking lifts. The facility of lifts is urgently needed there as most of the elders have age-related knee problems, which makes their movement, up and down the stairs, to their rooms, painful. All elders can’t be accommodated at the ground floor because it has a very limited capacity and the kitchen along with other vital infrastructure like offices are located in ground floor.
Presently, under the visionary leadership of Dr. Dinesh Gupta, the new Secretary, the Vridh Ashram has further enhanced its infrastructure and installation of lift facility is also under the plan while a mini-hospital with five good quality beds along with other facilities are ready for any sort of emergency situation.
Apart from this, a physiotherapy centre has also been started there, where even the outsiders can avail the services on meagre charges.
The existing dining hall for the inmates has also been improved while new fans have been installed to facilitate the inmates.
A new conference hall has also been added to the infrastructure of the Vridh Ashram which may serve many purposes like organising the meetings of management committee of the organisation.
A portion of waste area has been used for storing old mattresses, quilts etc. This area has entry from the roadside. Anyone in need for such quilts and mattresses on certain occasions like deaths may take the same from there without asking anyone.
Every year, each of the inmates is given four best quality dresses-two for winters and two for summers.
The Vridh Ashram runs on charity by philanthropists who liberally donate for the humanitarian cause.
There are a total of 28 paid staffers to run the daily affairs of the Vridh Ashram and these include cooking staff, attendants, Safaiwalas, barber, washer-woman, a woman for ironing clothes, lady care taker, male care taker etc.
The Vridh Ashram was started in the year 1964 by the initiative of Ram Nath Prabhakar, a retired headmaster while the facility got its registration in 1965.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
