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Making old age memorable
Unmindful of the heavy traffic zooming past on all sides, a group of senior citizens, sitting in a circle in one corner of Diamond Park, are engrossed in discussions. A closer look reveals that the men, who are octogenarians and septuagenarians, are engaged in spiritual conversation.
It all began one day in 1991, when a group of senior citizens hailing from different backgrounds went to relax in the park, which is a traffic island, and came across each other. Being in the same group, their ideas matched and they began talking on spiritual matters. One of the group members suggested that they meet regularly and read out from the epics and the others readily agreed.
The unanimous choice for reading out from the spiritual texts was, Gunturu Dharma Rao, a retired teacher from Anakapalle town, who is the senior most among them and carries his 91 years lightly. "Mastaru" as he is fondly called, readily agreed, and there was no looking back for the group. The spiritual evenings continued without any break except for occasional breaks due to inclement weather.
On an average about 12 to 15 persons gather daily to hear the spiritual discourse. The session begins at 5 p.m. and continues until about 6 p.m. The discourse is continued on the varendah of the nearby post office building, if rain comes mid-way between the session. After the reading from the epics, the floor is open for interaction and the members seek clarifications and make their own comments.
"We are not distracted by the noise of the moving vehicles. When there is absolute concentration, there is no diversion," says. No wonder, the group members failed to take notice of this reporter, who walked upto them, while they were mid-way through the session and sat a few feet away from them.
"I came across Mastaru, while I was posted at Anakapalle. We met here (Diamond Park) after retirement. Man needs a break from the daily hassles and this is the best recourse for us," says Allu Ramu Naidu (70), a retired gazzetted officer in the State Excise Department.
Said Mr. Puvvada Chandramouli (76), a general merchant, who has been with the group for the last 10 years, "The meetings are not stalled even when Mastaru does not come due to indisposition. We engage in spiritual discussion".
Gembali Nagabushanam, 68, who was a wholesale kirana merchant, has three sons and an equal number of daughters and 10 grandchildren. "I do everything by myself and they (his children) don't give me a paise. However, I have no regrets", he says.
L. Ramana Rao, 74, a watch repairer at Anakapalle gave up his job in 1995. His two sons are well placed. The older one had completed his M.Tech and settled in Australia while the second one is employed in Saudi Arabia. His wife died in 1989 and as both his sons are abroad, he is living with his daughter and son-in-law in the city.
His son-in-law is a deputy tehsildar and they look after Ramana Rao well. He feels bad that he has to stay at his daughter's house. Not that his sons don't love him. They keep sending money and talk over the phone and inquire about his health. However, the feeling of separation can be seen in his eyes.
Mr. D.S.N. Murthy, a retired superintendent in the NCC at Kakinada has joined the group three months ago. A Jagannadha Rao, 82, a retired railway employee, M. Simhadri, an agriculturist, 80, B.Ch. Rambabu, 76, a retired employee of Hindustan Shipyard Limited and Palikala Appa Rao, 60, a retired railway coolie are the other group members.
The odd-man out in the group is 39-year old, Gorle Manmadha Rao, a mason. He has been attending the sessions, whenever he had no work, for the past three years.
The sessions provide the much-needed relief from the hassles of daily life at home besides helping in gaining spiritual knowledge.
B.M.G.
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