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| Somarajan, Gandhi Bhavan House of Solace, Pathanapuram, Kollam |
Though theirs wasn’t a well off household, as a child Somarajan had seen his father offering food to the uncared for street dwellers. The contented faces of the beneficiaries got imprinted in his tender heart.
Although he went through life donning the roles of teacher in a parallel college, owner of a restaurant etc, the memory of street dwellers used to haunt his days. So 8 years ago, a charitable trust was registered and Gandhi Bhavan House of Solace started functioning at Pathanapuram, Kollam.
A deluge of help-seekers soon followed. Resources became a big problem. When all else seemed lost, he even contemplated jumping into Kallada river and committing suicide. But thinking of the consequent tragedy of the inmates, he had to abandon the plan.
He sold his own land and procured a plot near the river. Thus started the organic growth of Gandhi Bhavan. With the loss of a house, his family too became destitute of sort. His wife and children live with the inmates in a single room. His father too is an inmate.
His wife prepares food for the school-going children. His son Amalraj edits the house magazine, Sneha Rajyam. And his daughter Amitaraj, an MCA student, coaches young children.
When new buildings were constructed, many requested Somarajan to shift there. But until all the inmates have rooms of their own, he is reluctant to move from the present room.
Many activities keep the inmates busy. All-faith prayer thrice a day, medicinal plant cultivation, stitching, farming in leased land etc. The inmates select their Sneha Gramam Panchayat with its president. It is this body that oversees all activities including discipline in the township.
485 persons live here without being chained down by their past.
Courtesy:
Vijeesh Gopinath (text), Vanitha, July 1-14, 2011
Contributed by: Administrator
