At first, 86-year-old Lindsay Rego refused to sing. But after repeated requests, he finally gave in, singing in a tenor that belied his age. It was strong, with not a hint of a tremor. After his rendition of the Christmas classic ‘Silent Night’, he happily belted out a few more popular carols. For this former Indian Forest Service officer, singing has made a huge difference in his life post retirement.
Mr. Rego is part of the Choir of Loaves and Fish that takes its name from a miracle performed by Jesus Christ in The Bible .
Started by Pervin Varma, former CEO of Child Rights and You (CRY), in 2012, the choir has 17 members, all aged between 65 and 90.
“My aunt and uncle were living in the Holy Spirits home in the city. We used to visit them regularly and I found there were hardly any activities for them except the chapel service. So I decided to start a choir for them,” said Ms. Varma.
Most of the members are first-time singers, but thats’ not an issue. “It’s not about them having a great voice or singing in tune, it’s just an outlet for them to express themselves and give a new meaning to their life.”
Choir practice takes place every week, and it servers a dual purpose: it’s therapeutic and offers members a chance to bond with one another.
“We look forward to choir practices and performances, and we leave the hall happy after every session,” said 86-year-old Lucy Lobo.
Former fighter pilot Suresh Shekar, who is in a wheelchair as he has Parkinson’s disease, enjoys being a part of the choir. His face lights up as he holds the song book.
The Choir of Loaves and Fish gives two performances for the public annually at Holy Spirits home on Bannerghatta Road: one on Independence Day and the other on Christmas day. On two occasions, they have performed at churches outside the city. Their songs vary from Tamil, English, Kannada, Hindi, Konkani, and Malayalam.
But theirs is a bittersweet symphony. This year, they lost six members, but they take mortality in their stride, holding onto one dream: to sing for as long as they can.
