Thanal Home, an NGO in Karnataka’s Madikeri has helped to reunite a lost woman with her family in Haryana
While providing refuge, solace and help to homeless, lost and destitute people, the Thanal Home in Madikeri in Karnataka’s Kodagu district, does more for its inmates. Recently, the institution is helping a woman get reunited with her family after a period of four years.
The elderly woman inmate whom Thanal Home is helping is called Darshini. Four years ago, this homeless woman was found by Kushalnagar police station staff lying by the roadside. They contacted the home to provide her shelter as she had nowhere to go.
At the Home she was not only provided refuge and food but also treated for her illness. In the beginning, all she could disclose was that she was from Haryana. Over a period of time, as the treatment started have its effect, she was able to recollect that she was from a place called Rohtak in Haryana.
Darshini at Thanal Home
With this information Mohammed, the head of the Kodagu Thanal Home, got in touch with the Rohtak police station. When her photographs and videos were circulated, the police informed the Home that they should get in touch with Sonipat police.
At Sonipat it was found that Darshini’s details and identity matched with that of a person who was registered as missing. It was revealed that she had many family members and relatives, all of whom were eager to meet her. Her husband and some others of the family are reaching Madikeri to take her.
This is not just a singular instance of Thanal helping to reunite elderly people with their families.
source: http://www.indianarrative.com / India Narrative / Home> Culture / by India Narrative Bureau / December 31st, 2022
Established in April 2017, Thanal Ashram has provided shelter and been a home to many women, including a few who now live happily with their families.
The Thanal Ashram in Madikeri district. (Photo| EPS)
Madikeri :
Solace to the distressed, neglected and the homeless – this resonates as a synonym of Thanal Ashram in Madikeri. Established in April 2017, Thanal Ashram has provided shelter and been a home to many women, including a few who now live happily with their families.
Located amid the chaos of bad roads and routine buzz of the normal world, Thanal is a symbol of tranquillity. Smiling faces and sweet greetings welcome one into the building, currently home to 24 women. Most of them are homeless, and a few others made the ashram their home, after being deserted by their families.
“A 96-year-old woman who was found on the road, was brought to Thanal. The first thing we do is give them a bath. The woman was unclean but refused to take a bath till she was fed. When we gave her food, she ate her fill. This is when I realised that we first need to cater to their hunger,” shared Shashikala BK, an employee of the ashram.
She narrated stories about many women who were, and are, being nurtured at Thanal. “An old woman, Parvathy, was brought to the ashram from the District Hospital in Madikeri. After she was admitted to hospital, no family member came to take her back. She had cancer and she passed on in a few months, after living at the ashram,” she said.
Parvathy was from the Kodava community. “In order to perform the final rites as per Parvathy’s religion, we contacted people from the Makkada Koota and Kodava Samaj. The members took Parvathy’s body for cremation, as per Kodava rituals,” explained Mohammed Musthafa, the head of Thanal in Madikeri.
“Parvathy had no family, but there were many people from the surrounding areas who attended her funeral and bid her goodbye,” recalls Shashikala.
The head office of Thanal is based in Kerala, and is founded by Dr Idris, who is also chairman of the charitable trust. In Madikeri, the trust is run by Daya Rehabilitation Trust, headed by Musthafa. “No one who has a family should stay homeless on the roads. While we shelter the homeless, we look forward to reuniting them with their families,” says Musthafa.
He narrated the stories of Muthulakshmi, Jalavathi and others who were reunited with their families after many years of separation. “Jalavathi is from Uttar Pradesh. She got lost on a train and somehow ended up in Madikeri. She couldn’t speak proper Hindi and didn’t know her address. Her son’s number was traced by Thanal and she was reunited with her family after two years,” says Musthafa.
Like Jalavathi, Muthulakshmi was found in a pitiable state near the Madikeri Bus Depot. Two of her toes had fallen off and her legs were rotting due to myiasis (infection caused by maggots). She was treated for her infection and mental illness.
“During the course of her treatment, she recalled the name of her village. There are many villages by that name and we visited several before we finally traced her village in Tamil Nadu. She was reunited with her family after seven years. No one must stay orphaned if they have a family and Thanal strongly believes in this,” said Mohammed.
However, a few women who have been abandoned by relatives, swear to spend their last days in the comfort provided by Thanal. This destitute home has sheltered over 80 women in the past three years and has united at least eight families.
In case of death, the rituals of the deceased’s community are followed during the last rites. “This is not a home for people from any particular caste or community. This is a home for humans,” shared Musthafa.
The ashram is run by the trust, and with support from the main branch of Thanal. However, it is in need of more funds and benefactors who recognise their social work. Reach out to Thanal Ashram on 9844558896.
Thanal Ashram
Established in Madikeri in April 2017 to provide a home to distressed and homeless women. It has since become a home to many.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Prajna G R, Express News Service / January 23rd, 2022
