Living in their own world

SHUNNED BY most, they have created their own social system. In a world of their own, they have a system of marriage as well as rituals after death, of interdependence between young and old and religious co-existence, besides a system of finance.

SHUNNED BY most, they have created their own social system.
In a world of their own, they have a system of marriage as well as rituals after death, of interdependence between young and old and religious co-existence, besides a system of finance.

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Ostracized otherwise, 90 leprosy patients and their families live in an ashram near Alambagh canal, like one big family. They love and live for each other, that is their way of life. Their love for one another shows in the way they care for each another. These patients came here after getting treatment that made their disease ‘negative’ (that is, inactive).

As many as 150 people of varied age groups live in Adharsh Kushth Ashram, located in the interior of Alambagh. This ashram was established almost 32 years back. And the inmates believe the reason for their survival is the love and care that they’ve got from each other and from missionaries.

An inmate who is staying at the ashram for the past 30 years, says, “When I came here this place had nothing. We used to live in straw-and- mud huts but, gradually, with people’s love this place grew and now it at least has the basic facilities.”

The marriage system that prevails in this ashram is quite interesting. Ramanand Sharma, an inmate of the ashram, says, “We are always in touch with people of other leprosy ashrams and if there is a girl of marriageable age in one ashram and a boy in another, we try and get them married. And this way the families start.”

“Similarly, in case of death we cannot go out of this ashram to perform the last rites. We have to perform them within the presincts of the ashram. In sad times all the people are one. We stand together,” says Ramananad.

The ashram has its own temple that people have grown very fond of. As you enter the gate of the ashram, you see a reasonably well-constructed temple, with white tiles.

People of all religions live here with immense love. They celebrate all festivals together, be it Diwali, Eid or Christmas. Sandhya Devi, another inmate, says, “Everybody has won everybody by love.”

It’s very touchy to see how young people take good care of the elderly. “Our committee always saves some money for emergencies. And whenever anybody is sick or some casualty arises we use that money without thinking twice,” says an inmate.

They rely on ‘daan’ (donations) that people give them. They get enough edible raw material and other essential items from regular visitors. However, for day-to-day stuff like vegetables, milk and other items they have to collect money by going out and asking for donations. They manage to collect sufficient funds.

Prem Singh, an inmate of the ashram, says, “We only come to this ashram after we’ve been treated by the Missionaries of Charity. And once we come to this place we spend our entire life here.”

The everyday life of these inmates is very much the same. Each family cooks its own meals. However, all food material is collected at one place whenever someone gives ‘daan’ and then distributed equally among the inmates.

The inmates don’t keep their children with them once they are 7-8 years old.

They prefer to send them to hostels. “The missionaries arrange to send our children away to boarding once they reach a suitable age,” says Prem Singh.
The ashram has an eleven-member committee that looks after the day-to-day affairs of the ashram like maintenance, food and health. The ashram has a phone and proper electricity, the bills of which are paid by the inmates.

Fund crunch
Many a time they are short of food grains, flour, woollens, blankets, clothes, medicines and toiletries. Construction of more rooms on the vacant land on the premises is another requirement.