E-Paper
In UP’s Prayagraj, this Diwali gift pack helping poor elderly live with dignity
Through an initiative of an NGO, poor elderly people of Prayagraj are earning by making a gift pack comprising 21 earthen lamps
At a time when people in Sangam city are busy exchanging Diwali presents, a gift pack comprising five “Panchgavya Deepaks” (lamps made of five natural elements) in a set of 21 “diyas” (earthen lamps) made by poor elderly people is attracting many.
Introduced by an NGO, Retirement India Foundation, which is providing lunch tiffin to city elders at a nominal cost of Re 1, the gift hamper of these eco-friendly diyas is further coming in handy in providing additional financial help to the poor elderly people of the city this festive season.
“To keep many senior citizens engaged in some creative work and at the same time making them earn, the foundation has introduced a novel concept of training them in making of ‘Panchgavya Deepak’ at their homes. Sourced from South India and trained on hand-held moulding machines, these senior citizens’ groups can produce a few thousand ‘Gau Diyas’,” said NGO director Raaj Gulati.
“The NGO then purchases these especially made eco-friendly and healthy diyas from these poor elders and pack them in a gift pack of 21 diyas. “Our NGO and many of the families in the city have purchased this gift pack and gifted the same to their loved ones this Diwali,” he added.
“After assessing the feedback of our initiative, called ‘Hamare Diye, Aapke Liye’ (our lamps for you), our NGO plans to provide a global online market to products made by these senior citizens’ groups which would make them more self-reliant,” said Gulati.
“’Panchgavya’ is a mixture used in traditional Hindu rituals that is prepared by mixing five ingredients. The three direct constituents are cow milk, dung, urine while the other two are derived products, including curd and ghee. These are mixed in proper ratio and then allowed to ferment,” he added. The material thus prepared is put in a moulding machine, giving shape to beautiful diyas.
“’Panchgavya diya’ is a chemical free formulation with no charcoal or carbon footprints. The diya also burns out and this ‘Panchgavya’ composition promotes oxygen generation and also produces the phenomenal number of beneficial gases that fight pollution effectively. The residue is used as manure,” Gulati said. The society must come forward to support and improve the quality of life of our senior citizens, he appealed.
