Veteran social worker Savithri Vaithi on setting up homes to take care of the old and the needy. She says, "Over the years, despite a sea of changes in this city, what has changed is the nature of suffering, never its quantum. Perhaps, my work reflects this."
During Mahatma Gandhi's time, I volunteered with the Congress Seva Dal under the famed social worker Manjubhashini. I recall our being punished at school for our participation! Incidentally, I met some of those friends today at a reunion at Express Avenue Mall. We (octogenarians now) meet every other year and reminisce over old times.
My social work began 60 years ago when I worked in the slums of Choolai, Periamet and others. Unlike the present day, slums were neatly built and maintained, and women used to decorate their front yards with pretty kolams. We were called 'barefoot walkers' — a group of doctors, a nurse and welfare workers who would walk to these slums. We’d take care of their health, education and other needs. The Corporation closed this unit and soon after my marriage I decided to learn something novel and unheard of. I joined a Catering Technology course and learnt to bake, cook and make juice. Baking was a bit unusual back then as the sight of an egg made people uneasy!
I then started my own cookery class and also taught Ikebana. With around 20 good friends, at a time of no TV entertainment, we wanted an outlet to express our social consciousness that was beyond the mundane 'ladies club'. A modest beginning was made with a ‘one-day charity' programme that charged a monthly subscription of Rs. 3 per head. This paved the way for more activities such as a book bank in 1974 that further led to 'Adoption' — a programme to educate needy children. 'Oonru kol' was another project where we supplied provisions and vegetables to select old people who had no support in their homes. Although I was young and inexperienced, the main thing I had going for me was my sense of purpose to make a difference.
Then was the birth of Vishranti — our old age home, for, I believed that true service lay here. Veteran social activist and former Mayor of Chennai, Tara Cherian, was a big source of strength. But we were babes in the wood — we had no experience in geriatrics — what ailed them, how to medicate them, and how to deal with their psychological issues. Under the guidance of Geriatric Physician Dr. V.S. Natarajan, we observed keenly and learned gradually.
Self-reliant home
Today Vishranti hosts 192 women, 32 staff members and apart from the watchman and driver, there are no men. It is also completely self-sustained. I don't question the trends in today's society of neglecting the old. The compulsions are many so we teach our members to be strong and self-reliant.
We also started Malarchi (1990), a home for children with single parents and Nizhal, a short stay home for women in distress.
A.V. Meiappa Chettiyar donated the money for this acre of land in Palavakkam that cost Rs. 20,000 in 1977. Help Age India aided us by raising funds for the construction. We have been fortunate to have the support of Prabhudas Patwari, Sanjeeva Reddy and Soundaram Kailasam among others over the years.
There was always work to do, people to help. Over the years, despite a sea of changes in this city, what has changed is the nature of suffering, never its quantum. Perhaps, my work reflects this.
We have conducted weddings here. And we also deal with death. We send our friends off with prayers and light their pyres…
For a video by M. Karunakaran, go to http://thne.ws/madras-savithri
(Madras 373 is a series that celebrates the city coinciding with the Madras Week celebrations)
Keywords: Savithri Vaithi, Madras 373 column
Very good work--very good coverage
Happy to note the great services by Mrs vaithi and in memory of my late wife, i woulld like contribute my mite from my pension a/c in rupees on hearing further from the vishranthi, their address and bank detaile; regards,
T S VAIDYARMAAN,Retd Dm canara bank,
4 wilberforce road,Revesby,
nsw 2212:
EMAIL: tsv555@gmail.com
24 8 2012
Thank you, Hindu, for sharing this. I am new to Chennai, so could
someone please tell me the contact details for Vishranthi. I did not
find much on Google. I'd love to know more and perhaps visit them.
Thanks in advance
Thanks to 'The Hindu' for sounding out the silent work of this Superwoman. We need more news about such good work happenning in our society. The video could have been done better.
No words of praise can be too high for Savithri Vaithi and women like her whose crusading spirit and zeal to serve has lit up the lives of old and at times infirm women who had been cast away by their kith and kin. A visit to Vishranthi will bring tears to the eyes of everyone who has even a shred of love in his or her heart.
I am thrilled to read this account about the pioneering service rendered by Smt.Savithri Vaithi in the field of Old Age homes. I had the fortune of seeing the old age home Vishranthi and was deeply impressed by the motherly care given to the old and helpless women.I would say that it is a model old age home.I wish more ladies will set up similar old age homes in our country to take of helpless old women in our country.I wish Smt Savithri Vaithi long life and health to continue such selfless service in our country
This is a very nice article. Good to know there are people like Savithri Vaithi in our society. This kind of article inspires more people who have been thinking of doing something for the society.
good article
Mrs.Savithri Vaithi is our hero. I first met her in 1997 and have been of some obscure
and humble service to her great institution. We also owe much to that Institution.
May god be with her, in all her missions.
Great story. I'm always in awe of people who stay in their communities and look for every opportunity to contribute and make lives better for those around them.
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