Blind Date - Strictly for Elders

There were two elderly people living in a senior citizens’ home. He was a widower, she a widow. They had known one another for a number of years. One evening there was a community supper downstairs, and the two sat at the same table, across from one another. He gathered some courage and asked her, “Will you marry me?”
A few minutes later she answered. “Yes. Yes, I will.”

The meal ended and, with a few more pleasant exchanges, they went to their respective rooms. Next morning, he was troubled. “Did she say ‘yes’ or did she say ‘no’?” He couldn’t remember. So he picked up his telephone and called her, “I forget things easily noaways and I don’t remember as well as I used to. Last night when I asked if you would marry me, did you say ‘Yes’ or did you say ‘No’?”
“Why, I said, ‘Yes, yes I will’ and I did mean it dear”, she continued, “I am so glad that you called, because I couldn’t remember who had asked me.”

Cheerful news is hard to come by these days, and that’s why I want to highlight this particular one. VMAS (Vina Moolya Amoolya Seva - Priceless Precious Service, literally), a non-profit in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, is arranging India’s first marriage-convention, for seniors. India’s first senior blind date convention will take place on October 12th in Ahmedabad. For women participants, the registration comes with a gift of a railways fare, free local transportation, and complementary lunch.
VMAS, a marriage bureau that offers free services to those above 50, has so far garnered 600 male registrations and about 60 female registrations. Most of the male registrants are widowers or divorcees. Several female registrants, however are first-timers. Most of those women first-timers have led selfless lives, sacrificing their years for their families, younger brothers or sisters, elder parents or relatives, working to get others educated, staying home to support the elderly and the sick within the families. Now, with those responsibilities borne out, and at a juncture where their own lonely lives could afford the warmth and comfort of a companionship, these seniors have come forward, albeit shyly, to seek what they have missed so far.

More than a hundred years ago, in 1893, Dhindo Keshav Karve founded India’s first marriage bureau for widows. That institution became an ashram, a shelter for those Indian women who were outcast by society, and after a century of service to the Indian women, turned into India’s first women’s university - SNDT.

Just the other day, I wrote about the rising divorce rates amongst India’s newly married. Something tells me that the seniors gathering in Ahmedabad on October 12th, are not giving a hoot about that statistics. At a time when the elders in India are having to look ahead to lonelier lives away from their sons and daughters and in an era where the number of joint families is declining at a rapid pace, anything that brings happiness to our seniors is a heartening news. It surely lights up a romantic candle or two, giving hope to those who need it most, making their days and evenings a lot less bluer and a lot, lot brighter.

Courtesy: http://www.indiatime.com/2008/09/24/indias-first-senior-citizens-blind-date-convention/

The author(s) of this article is(are) not known but the site www.indiatime.com has some very good alternative viewpoints on various issues affecting India.

New Party, New Flag, Old Politics

Having been a fan of Chiru since my pre-adolescent years, like millions of other fans, I have been anxiously paying attention to his entry into the political arena. Having witnessed his foray into politics, as his fan and well-wisher, I must admit it was a lacklustre performance. Having said that, his speech might have pleased his scores of fans who attended the meeting and those who were watching live on TV. But, there exactly lies the catch where they probably have put the love for their film star and his party above the country. Indian masses have this notoriously dangerous obsession either with a political party or a film star and they would be willing to vote, and they had in the past, without even considering the agenda and this was true in the case of the Late N.T.R and MG.R. On their first day, these two late veterans must have made exactly the same promises that Chiru made and according to some sources the inaugural speech for NTR and Chiru, was compiled by a same person, a prominent film writer. When you look back at those pledges made by NTR and MGR- unfortunately neither they nor their promises survive today.


But, his altruistic motives for entering into the politics cannot be questioned. He proved himself to be a committed social worker by establishing eye and blood banks in the state. And he has a rare trait that is seldom found in fellow politicians- he has clean record and is a non-controversial figure, at least for now. On the day of announcing the party, he promised to change the fate of the state but didn’t delve further into how intends to achieve that. That announcement of his kick-started a mass exodus of opportunists from other parties- Mr. Hariram Jogiah, Mr K. VidyadharRao and his confidant M.R.D Balaram, a liquor baron, factionist Mr.Bhooma Nagireddy etc.and scores of others have now announced their loyalty to Chiranjeevi .

But I think Chiru is treading on a slippery slope by warmly embracing these opportunistic elements. There was hardly any screening process for the eligibility into his party and the only one looks like one had to be political leader already with some influence. Take the case of Mr.Bhooma Nagireddy, who has been accused of murders, intimidation and had cases of non-bailable arrest warrants for contempt of the court and has about 15 cases pending in the court. In the other case of M.R.D.Balaram, who could be a potential candidate from Eluru, being a close confidant of Kotagiri Vidyadhar Rao, had Rs. 1 lakh reward for information leading to his arrest, in connection with Operation Kolleru , and was previously arrested for serving the meat of 62 migratory birds in a feast that he hosted in Kolletikota village.

With all due respect to Chiru, he lacks the political acumen and his mentor Dr.Mitra although a well informed and educated individual, is probably not weighing up the opportunities and strengths properly. There is absolutely no guarantee that the likes of Nagi Reddy and Balaram, share the same vision that of Chiranjeevi and worse they don’t give a hoot about welfare of the state and social justice. These people will not give Chiranjeevi the freedom or the flexibility to actively pursue his agenda if they conflict with their personal interests. If Chiru and Dr.Mitra fail to select right members for their party, Prajarajyam will be another party, just like TDP and Congress, with a different name and a flag , not one that Chiru envisages.

Chiru in his speech, claimed that it was not his intention to grab the power by whatever means but to serve the people because people have requested him to come into politics. If Chiru is so confident in his ability and peoples’ will, he must not worry about recruiting influential people in his party with mediocre backgrounds but should try to infuse young, educated and visionary intellectuals. But unfortunately, it looks like his strategies point towards only one direction- to win the coming assembly elections next year. Although, there is nothing wrong with trying to achieve that, but in doing so he is still relying on the same old political figureheads. Unlike, Loksatta party, where the nomination of party candidates has been very careful, transparent and thorough, nomination of candidates in Prajarajyam party, I feel, is being hastened with little insight and vision, for short term political gains. Having said that, Chiru could still win the election and become the CM, but I doubt if his party members will contribute to the fulfilment of his vision of Sampoornandhra Pradesh.