Amritakuteeram Voices -- Ajanta Nagar, Pune
Monday, 1 March 2004 -- Pune, Maharashtra
When Amma was in Pune in March 2004, Amritapuri.org
visited the Ajanta Nagar Slum, which the Mata Amritanandamayi
Math, in connection with the local and central government,
is in the process of rehabilitating. The project involves
the construction of 27 blocks of four- and five-story
apartment buildings where on top of what used to be
a nine-acre slum. Walking around with the brahmachari
in charge, we had a chance to speak to some of the
slum's residents, all of whom will receive new houses
between May of 2004 and the end of 2006.
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"This brings so much hope to my heart.
Now I know that if I die our children will live
in better homes. I am so grateful to Amma because
She gives them shelter," says Chabubai Diwar,
a 60-year-old grandmother who lives in one of
the Ajanta Nagar slums. She currently still lives
in her slum dwelling, a stone house with a roof
made from rusty iron plates thatched with plastic
bags. "My oldest son was in an accident
four years ago," she says. "He cannot
do a full days work anymore." |
Her other son makes about Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,500 a
month doing odd construction jobs. Chabubai herself
hand washes clothes in the nearby neighbourhoods. It
is hard work. It brings her an average of Rs. 500 a
month.
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For the past 14 months, Baskar Sampad Tayde
has lived with his wife, Kamal, their three daughters
and his all-but-blind mother in one of the Ajanta
Nagar transit houses set up by the Mata Amritanandamayi
Math. They will be among the first of the slum
residents to move into a new flat when the rehabilitation-project's
first phase opens in May 2004. Every day Baskar
reports to a local contractor to find out if
there is any work available for him. No work
means no money. |
He gets work on the average of 10 to 15 days per month,
making around Rs. 200 to 250. Hardly enough as the
cost of living here is about Rs. 5,000 month.
 |
Nonat Ganpath is 34. Since he broke his back
in three-story fall he can no longer work construction.
With no medical insurance and no disability pension,
life is hard. He still suffers from quite a lot
of pain but is able to make Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,000
per month ironing. He lives in the slum with
his daughter, wife and mother. His wife earns
money sweeping the floor in the nearby hospital. |
 |
Mullah Shvik [the man with the white hat]
used to work as an electrician but lost his leg
in an accident. He shares his slum house with
his wife, their daughter, and his son's family
of four. The whole family depends solely on the
Rs. 2,000 the son makes as a construction worker. |
In one of the slum houses, Dr. Meenakshi runs a small
health clinic. Wanting to help Pune's poor, she set
up the clinic after completing her medical studies. "I
want to work for my satisfaction," she says, "and
here I really feel I can contribute." The main
health problems in the slum are hygiene and the seasonal
fevers, she says. Many children get sick from contaminated
water, so there are many cases of dysentery.
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Dr. Meenakshi charges little for her work.
A check-up costs Rs. 10; medication is sold at
its cost price. "I am very happy to see
the renovation work progressing so fast," she
says. "It can really benefit the people.
Their life standard will surely change; now most
of them live in very unhygienic circumstances.
The new houses invite for more hygiene, but the
people need to change too. I hope they will change
their lifestyle too." |
As night falls in Ajanta Nagar, women start cooking.
Many dress up to go to the Pune ashram to listen to
Amma sing bhajans and to receive Her darshan.
Renovating slums lies not only in the rebuilding of
houses; it is in the relieving of pain and suffering;
it is in the transformation of lifestyles and the providing
of hope to people who have been beaten around their
entire life.
-- Kannadi
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