Amrita Nidhi Voices - Varanasi
Tuesday, 23 March 2004 -- Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
It was way past midnight in the holy city of Varanasi
when they entered the darshan line, most aided by walking
sticks. In fact, they seemed as old as the city itself:
a disoriented-looking lady with incredibly thick glasses,
a handicapped woman dragging herself forward by her
hands, a blind man guided by his almost-blind wife.
They had been brought for Amma's darshan from the village
of Kanchampurkiri, not far from Allahabad, by one of
Amma's devotees.
When the first old lady came for darshan, Amma had
to bend way over in order to take her into Her arms,
as she was suffering from somewhat of a hunchback.
The next woman had to be lifted. All around tears were
flowing. Amma then called one of Her swamis to come
and record their names, addresses and stories, so they
could be considered for Amrita Nidhi, the Math's free
pension programme.
Through Amrita Nidhi, the Mata Amritanandamayi Math
has been providing to India's poor since 1998, initially
in South India. During Amma's in 2004 North India Tour,
the programme expanded to eight other Indian states,
including Uttar Pradesh. Beneficiaries receive enough
to ensure they get at least one good meal a day.
 |
Angani is around 60; she does not know her
exact age. She has been a widow for more than
20 years. After her husband's death, she worked
in the fields, harvesting grain and coriander.
The long hours in the sun have aged her skin.
Since she has lost most of her eyesight, she
cannot work anymore. Daily, she now goes out
to beg for food. If she is lucky she gets enough
for one meal a day. Her daughter does not come
to see her anymore; her husband forbids it. Angani
cries as she talks about how she has to beg for
food; "If only I could get my eyes back." |
 |
Sahadev is completely blind. His wife, Ranjani,
who is also poor-sighted, guides him. She begs
for food on the street. "We eat every other
day," she says. "There is no more." She
starts crying as She is telling her fate. They
have one son. He drives a rickshaw and has six
children. "What can he give us?" she
asks. |
"He hardly makes enough to support his
family." Ranjani starts crying, and then
Sahadev starts talking. He has four more daughters,
but they all live with their husband's families.
They have not seen them for years and have lost
all contact. "It is because we cannot invite
them. We cannot even offer them tea or food.
How can we receive our daughters then?" Sahadev
breaks down and buries his face in his turban. |
 |
 |
Maana is 55 years old. She is handicapped
and has been a widow for the past five years.
Her husband was also handicapped, and they were
used to a life of begging. Since her sister's
death, Maana also has to care for her mentally
retarded niece. They are entitled to a government
food ration because of their handicaps, but it
is distributed through the village chief, she
says, and he gives it to his own family. |
Sukrana lives with her son. He supports his
mother and himself with the few rupees he makes
in the cotton mill. "It is not enough to
live on, so I have to go out begging. If I beg
for eight hours, maybe I have 10 rupees; this
will give us two good meals." |
 |
 |
Sahjina is 85 years old. She still works everyday,
seven days a week. From early morning to the
late evening she washes vessels and pots in a
local restaurant. She earns Rs. 150 a month.
She earns so little because she cannot work very
hard anymore; so her boss lowered her salary. |
Panchu works in a shop that sells rice and
grains. She sits in a corner all day removing
small stones from the rice. For this, her boss
pays her only in food; sometimes only half a
meal when he feels she has not worked hard enough. |
 |
Once their stories are verified by the Ashram, Panchu,
Sahjina, Sukrana, Maana, Ranjani, Sahadev and Angani
will be entitled to be part in the Amrita Nidhi pension
programme, which will eventually benefit over 50,000
people.
--Devadath
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