Illustration by Josie Ford.
Story by Prabhamani S | Director, Sevayana Trust Mysore
Sevayana is a dream of the like-minded whose hearts beat for the helpless.
A study was conducted in 2019 among select voluntary organizations across Mysore district on the needs of the socially neglected. Not surprisingly, more than expected, results were in front of us! Every day among the people who came for shelter to the voluntary organisations, the number of older citizens were going up. Those who could pay to get the privilege (benefit) were not less in number. For them, in every gully*, organisations were in existence! But for those without money? Although there were countable number of institutions, except for one or two, the rest were languishing without proper management.
Senior in age and experience, people who have been charioteers of an entire family, wandering without shelter towards the end of life is a matter of regret. For those people providing a decent home became our priority. As a result, in 2020 January, Sevayana organisation was officially registered, and started its service operations. A building was rented initially for ten women, with good facilities, free of cost- an ashram** was set up. For those older persons in helpless situations who came through other organizations, from the department of senior citizens welfare, through police sources and the public, by providing shelter, basic facilities, medical check-ups, recreation, personal counselling, etc., by providing these facilities, seeing the happiness in their eyes we started to be satisfied. As a result people seeking refuge in Sevayana increased.
Some that came to the organisation had family roots. For them, Sevayana also started counselling them, understanding their problems, solving them, and reuniting them with their family. These are people who lived well before, and have served rice to tens of people. With the same hands now, for a bit of rice have their hands out in front of somebody else, the tears that come to the eyes they wipe these with the edge of their sari***. Determined not to offend anyone’s self-esteem, the organization collected old newspapers from donors and at the start, spent half a day making paper bags. It not only boosted their confidence but also saved their self-esteem. Along with that for the ladies in the locality who are not so well off, the organization provided free tailoring training and got them to make cloth bags.
The organization started performing its services with utmost commitment and honesty as expected. But like one hundred and eight obstacles to good work, in the beginning itself Covid-19 started its rudra nartana****! The older people who have health problems, protecting them from Covid infection was a big challenge! Old newspaper donors and grocery vendors didn’t show their face to the organisation. Some who said they would stand in support of the organization found themselves in financial trouble due to Covid. This is not a problem which will get over in a day, what to do next? No matter what, to the extent possible till then let’s do our work honestly. Not expecting results the Sevayana team decided to go to the streets to feed the hungry. We did not have strength to do more. For those people, let other people help. With that as the intention we shared the photos on social media. What happened next is beyond imagination! The problems created by covid became a boon to our organisation. Help came pouring in from people!! Although many people wanted to help, they were afraid to go directly to the community, fearing where the infection will spread. Because of this they used Sevayana as a bridge, through us they wanted to help the victims. As a result, for two years Sevayana worked day and night for the victims of Covid, and by doing so it also secured its existence.
Sevayana expanded from ten to twenty people, has gained great respect and recognition in the locality. In the meantime, ashritey***** of the organization, Kamalamma, died of a heart attack, which caused everyone to worry about the future for a few days.
A good environment, meditation, pranayama, prayer, outings, bhajans are the most important activities of Sevayana, like earlier paper bag tailoring, cloth bag making carried on as before helped financially. In between all this, the rented building of Sevayana had to change from time to time is also a challenging matter. Saddened by those small minded people who did not agree to rent when you say it is for the old age home, when somebody gave a house it was a relief. No matter what happens, those who have should help those who do not have. For these people, giving shelter in an own building is Sevayana’s dream- for this dream, those who have should stand as a pillar (support)
*Gully: Street
**Ashram: hermitage, a place for spiritual awakening, a refuge
*** Sari: Garment worn by women in India
**** Rudra nartana: The chaotic, destructive dance of Lord Shiva
***** Ashritey: One who provides shelter/protection
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