With Centenarians being quite a rarity in the world around us, to interact with one who is full of life is a delightful experience. At the age of 106, Dr Devinder Kaur has managed to steer clear of many ailments that afflict the aged. She neither has diabetes nor dementia nor is she on any antibiotic or pain killer. Daily calcium, vitamin B and protein supplements keep her going. She uses homeopathy for kidney and digestion while her blood pressure is monitored regularly. Love, a feeling of being wanted and her own zest for life have sustained her.
She heartily enjoys the first crop of mangoes this summer, along with sarson saag and roti softened with butter. In fact, when she is drowsy, the mere sight of a mango perks her up and she digs into it. The meals have become smaller but she still relishes good food, properly laid out and served.
Slim built, Dr Kaur lives in Hauz Khas Enclave in South Delhi. She uses a walker around the house and is assisted by either her 73-year-old daughter Jasjit Mansingh or the maid Kiran. She has a wheel chair that is used to take her into the garden where in the winter she sits shelling peas, knitting or reading passages from Sukhmani Sahib.
Devinder Kaur has had a fruitful life. After completing her BA from Kinnaird College, Lahore, she completed her MA and taught for a year before getting a government scholarship for a doctorate in psychology from London University in 1933. Interestingly, the subject of her dissertation was ‘attention' — something which all elderly people crave. She came back to India after two years and worked at the Lady Irwin School. Later she moved from Delhi to Simla and got married to Col. Assa Singh.
After three decades of raising a family and managing a home, in her seventies she went back to her old interests — psychology and philosophy but this time she delved into spirituality and the study and practice of Guru Granth Sahib. She still enjoys listening to kirtans on television using her head phones. To keep her mind active and ticking, her daughter who is also her soul mate and caregiver, got her help for Punjabi to English translations.
In 1994, the mother-daughter team won the All India Katha Translation Contest for Ajeet Kaur's story Yudhishtir . It was subsequently published by Katha, along with eleven entries from different Indian languages in a volume titled Visions Revision.
While in her nineties, she translated some more stories for an anthology of 18 stories which Jasjit was preparing. Titled, Time out, stories from Punjab , it was published in 2002 by Srishti. In 2005, at 99, she translated an environmental story for children, Murugun's Trees . It was only when she was 101 that she had to give up reading books though she still reads the headlines in newspapers and the scriptures.
Quiet and withdrawn on most days, on some days she perks up, is very vocal and orders people around. She caresses your face and head and then greets you with folded hands. She even feels the earrings you are wearing and nods her appreciation of the border of your sari.
Her biggest asset is her daughter, who has kept her physically and mentally active and watches her mood swings and physical well being like a barometer. The fact that she has lived 54 years of her live in her Hauz Khas home also adds to her sense of security.
Today, she enjoys the same respect she received when she was a young teacher and this means a lot to her. There has been growing acceptance of the problems of ageing and the inevitability of death. When she heard of the death of her bedridden friend across the road, she was glad that she would not have to suffer indignities any more. In fact, she told Jasjit she would like to go before she is bedridden. She is quite categorical that when her time comes she wants no tubes, pipes or life supporting machines.
Two years ago, Devinder fell severely ill and no one thought she would recover. But when her son came from the US to see her, she bounced back to life.
