Lighting up lives of the less loved in Ahmedabad

Have you ever thought what it would be like to be neglected and alone on Valentine's Day when the entire world takes an opportunity to celebrate love? Six youths- Malay Sherasia, Kunal Odedra, Urvashi Parekh, Ripal Madhani, Bansi Khimani and Archana Pathak- in the city came up with a novel way to light up the lives of the inmates of Jivan Sandhya Old Age Home.

Through an initiative - Shravan Bhakti- they asked people to donate money for the celebration and in return invited them along with their families to celebrate Sunday evening at the old age home. More than 60 cakes were brought for the 180 inmates of Jivan Sandhya.

The entire celebration was a huge surprise for the inmates who were teary-eyed seeing the love showered on them by complete strangers.

Sharing her happiness, Samyukta Pandya, an 83-year-old inmate said, "I am extremely happy today. So many people came forward to fill happiness and colours in our lives."
Sherasia said that the idea behind the initiative was to fill colours in the black and white lives of the old.

"Thankfully, we received donations in huge numbers which made it possible for us to buy cakes, gifts, medicines for the old people," said Odedra.

The trustee of the old age home Farsubhai Kakkad took the opportunity to make the youth take a pledge to not to trouble their parents and to never be the reason for their tears. "Three generations are celebrating the day here; the grand parents, donors and their families are a part of the celebration," he added.