Missing warmth of sibling love leaves old-age home cold

LUDHIANA: The excitement that marks the celebrations revolving around sibling love was everywhere on display. While, brothers were seen skimming the market shelves to buy gifts and cards, the sisters were busy preparing the favourite delicacies of their brothers on Rakshabandhan. However, the warmth of this relationship failed to percolate and liven up the grim atmosphere at Swami Vivekanand Vridh Ashram.
The deserted look of the old-age home became more stark on this festive occasion. The inmates, having lost all hope of meeting their brothers and sisters, took it as just any other day.
Celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Shravan, Rakshabandhan personifies the bond between siblings. Sisters tie a holy thread on the wrist of her brother.
Wheelchair-bound Sadhu Ram and his wife are the inmates of the old-age home since the past three years. The father of an only son who lives in Bathinda, Sadhu Ram is concerned for the health of his wife, who is admitted in a local hospital since the past 10 days.
'When your own child does not care for you, the relations with brothers and sisters become secondary,' he says, adding on second thoughts, 'My wife has two brothers but they have also failed to show up since the time we are here.'
Tara Singh, has made this accommodation his home since the past seven years. Terming all festivals as the same, a disillusioned Singh, who is a widower, says, 'With each passing day, I have lost all hope of returning to my near-and-dear ones. Even my memory does not allow me to remember any incident or members from the past.'
Another inmate says, 'As old age has set in, instead of the relationships, medicines are keeping us alive. When there remains no love, the bond which makes this festival special turns useless.'