Pashupati Briddhasram
The world has gotten itself in a big hurry and it shows no sign of slowing down. Kathmandu is no exception; in fact it is in the high point of this big rush. But no matter how hard the world outside is swinging, it doesn’t seem to get through to the insides of the walls that bound Samajhkalyan Kendra, Briddhasram, Pashupati (Social Welfare Center, Elderly home, Pashupati) , a century old elderly home built as the Panchdeval (five shrines) Pakshala in the Regime of His Majesty Surendra Vir Vikram Shah.
Situated amidst the temples of the famous Hindhu temple complex, Pashupatinath, this place really seems to manipulate time (at least in a personal level, if not in a universal level). Once you enter the premises of the Briddhasram, you can’t help but feel like you are transcended at least half a century back in time, where (say) even cell phone is alien. And here the world moves slow.
You see as many as a fifty grey haired, frail elderly citizens doing nothing but spending blissful moments basking in the sun for hours in the courtyard and on the shrine platform. Some curious eyes follow you as you walk pass the welfare gate. One of them is busy reading a laptop sized religious book rested on his lap and the other is trying hard to bend and dust off his trousers. All you hear is the steady sound of the wheeled metallic support of an elderly with crippled feet and a faint sound of TV playing nepali song. They don’t talk to each other much, which gives you an aura of wilderness where no word is spoken but they really live for each other. For some it is a depressing scene to see people at the end of human life cycle, away form their family, living (or rather dying) in the Briddhasram. But for many this is a place where they refuge from their ever speeding life and feel satisfied helping and sharing talks with the matured citizens.
Also known as Siddhi Shaligram Briddhashram (Home for the Elderly), the only governmental home for seniors lies 4.8 kilometers northeast of the heart of the city, surrounded by the Pashupatinath Hindu temple grounds. The temple Pashupatinath—a World Heritage Site–is a famous pilgrimage for Hindu pilgrims from around the world, and also an abode for frolicking monkeys and sadhu santas (meditating monks) with tangled hairs who come from across the Indian subcontinent. The holy Bagmati River flows quietly through the temple complex past the ghats where ghutiyars cremate dead daily, dumping the ashes into the river where they flow downstream, eventually to the sacred Ganges. For Hindu faithful, to die and be cremated means release from the cycle of repeated birth and death. In a country like Nepal where people lean towards religion, god and take on spiritual quests as they grow old, living in this religious courtyard is no bad deal for the elderly, for all they wish for is a peaceful place to live, worship and wait for salvation.
An elderly said “I don’t feel sad that my sons don’t care for me anymore. In fact I am happy here than I used to be with my sons. I feel like I am on the lap of lord Shiva.” Pointing towards their bhajan mandal, “I spend my days singing bhajans (hymns) there in our bhajan mandal.”
With the advancement in medicine people are living longer. This means more old people. In addition to this, modernization and urbanization is inducing people to adapt luxurious lifestyles. It has encouraged the young people to switch to nuclear families from conventional extended families. So, elderly are having hard time, as they are dependent on the breadwinners of the family and more elderly are or are on the verge of homelessness. This implies that the shelter for seniors could face the situation of ‘more people less money’ crisis. But with the donations and supports from the organizations and well wishers, this barely seems to be a point of concern.
Currently managed by The Woman, Children and Social Welfare (WCSW) and sustained mostly by donations that provide just over $200 per person—the average annual income for a Nepalese citizen–the Briddhashram residents consider themselves some of the most fortunate elders in all of Nepal. In truth, they are. Persons admitted here receive good food and shelter, and are given clothing twice annually. At present, 22 government employees run the home and take care of residents. Doctors visit every alternate day, and among the staff are two health workers. All medical expenditure is borne by the government. Following the death of a resident, the home covers all funeral expenditures.
This place really fills you with hope. What gives you hope is that even though they have lost families and possessions they still care. They care for each other and they retain a deep sense of humanity.
(This isn’t exactly what I had to say about this place, but it’s alrite, coz this is what people want to hear ‘the bright side of things’)
