A face popped out of the door and said ‘Hello, have you just moved in?
We turned around to see a woman step out of the adjacent apartment. She wasn’t very tall and was lean. Her short grey hair was pinned behind her head and she had a cheerful face. She was dressed in Kurti and leggings and had a face mask on.
She asked us cheerfully,’ Are you going to move in here?
We were six of us but she addressed just one of us. She probably thought we only wanted one of us to move in.
‘We are thinking about moving here,’ we said.
We smiled and asked, ‘How is living here?’ Is it to your liking? Do you have friends?
She said, ‘I’ve lived here for three years and it’s good to stay independent. We have sufficient security personals for safety. There are plenty of friends once we cross this corner and walk to the right into the D3Apartments.’
‘Do you stay alone?’ we asked hesitantly. Does anyone else live on this floor?
She replied, ‘ Yes, I have been staying alone. Eleven years ago, I lost my husband.
She added, ‘This floor is empty these days as many have moved in with their children due to the pandemic. Would you be able to attend today’s bhajan downstairs?
We nodded and said that we would join. We felt tired and wanted to relax a bit before joining the Bhajan.
New-life Purba is an assisted living centre for retired personals. The place is self-contained with a hospital, restaurant, cleaners, gym, auditorium, open amphitheatre, shuttle service to the market and many other amenities. Retirement communities, designed to help retired and elderly people live independently, have swept through the west and gained popularity in the east with higher living standards. It was here that we met Ujjita. She lived on the first floor of the last set of buildings on the campus. A flat next to hers was called an ‘Experience flat’. This was a furnished two bedroom hall kitchen that we were allowed to stay in that weekend to experience living.
There were a few ladies who came across crying out for the ladies living on the floor. One of them was a burly well-built lady and she had a meek lady walking with her for support. The burly lady strapped on and yelled loudly at Ujjita “the Bhajan is about to begin.”. We waved at Ujjita and walked inside our flat.
The incident reminded me of my childhood when we would have a robust leader who would usher us everywhere. The question was whether one was willing to do so in the evening of life.
We found the hall on the ground floor equipped with musical instruments. The glass doors were closed but not latched. The large windows were kept open. The cold wind from the open window blew hard to numb the emotions of the inmates. There were almost twenty of them that day as they listened to a disabled lady play her harmonium and sing the song, ‘Tu Pyar ka Sagar hain…Teri Ek boond ke pyase hum. Many others sang songs according to the joy or pain they felt. In all, it left us despondent that night.
We began the next day chirpily with a tour of the campus. The campus of the housing society is nestled in the Sahyadri hills where rivulets flow down the hills. It had four differently designed gardens with walking tracks and an open amphitheatre. Everywhere there were benches and suitable chairs for the residents. Outdoor fitness pieces of equipment made the place all the more attractive. The staff for cleaning homes were on time. The flats and amenities in these apartments are geared toward the aristocracy, and the price suits the elite. We rushed to the restaurant after our tour.
The restaurant is not very large but is well designed with a lot of youngsters working. It was a relief to watch the deftness with which the young boys managed the place as we had a hearty breakfast. The food served was excellent, but it does not seem suitable for the elderly. During lunch, we had several types of delicacies, and tea time was Bhajia and Batata Wada.
While returning back, we met Ujjita in the corridor. We were invited to her one-bedroom, hall, and kitchen home. The apartment was spacious, but it lacked a balcony. She said, ‘I am a Maharashtrian and had married to a North Indian. You can see my nameplate shows that.’
We looked up at her nameplate on the open door.
She added, ‘It is difficult for me to move with my sons who have settled abroad. This place is beautiful. A regular schedule of walks, and meditation sessions are part of our routine. Additionally, I work online and that keeps me busy.’
We met her in the Art and Craft session that afternoon. The lessons were prepared ahead by the organisers. As everyone became childlike with their enthusiasm, it was really a joyful session.
A walk still later brought us across an old man who was disabled, he was being rolled into the green spaces by a caretaker from the hospital situated close to the restaurant. He sat there in his wheelchair and kept admiring the serenity of nature for long. He enjoyed the light drizzle of rain and seemed to be absolutely contented. The caretaker moved him to another spot in the garden and sat aside on the cemented steps. Time slowed down for the man as he observed the flowers, the plants and a couple of kids playing who had come visit their grandparents.
It made me wonder whether we had ever observed the blue sky, fluffy clouds, and green leaves as peacefully as the man in the summer of our lives. Have we ever tried meditating on nature’s serenity or connected to God’s joyous presence?
The trip brought us close to the solitude amongst the Sahyadri hills where this housing society was located. It was divine, but it also spoke of loneliness and isolation. The firmness that the residents like Ujjita carry within them was commendable. It gently reminds us of the courage and determination of people who were never given the opportunity to be recognized for their accomplishments.
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