WORDS OF OUR LIGHT-ENDIRADEVI

'The great philosopher Francis Bacon pronounced light to be God's first creature.For me how ever,it 's the hour of dusk at the end of the day that signifies the beginning of bliss for the past 15 years,I have been suffering from rare disease,Lupus erythromatosis.It is a rare auto immune disorder that affects one person in a million. It causes the body to produce abnormal antibodies in the blood that attack tissues instead of foreign agents of infection.The disorder stimulated by ultra violet rays;so ,even a brief exposure to light causes the skin to become rough and itchy.All through the day ,my curtains in my appartment are always drawn tight.To add to the agoney ,Allopathic treatment over the past 15 years also prepared ovarian cancer.How ever ,I refuse to let my ailments dictate my destiny .
Perhaps I would not have viewed life with such equanimity if I had not visited an institution for the mentally ill some years ago.During my visit to the hospital,I met Sugathakumari-the famed Malayalam Poet and social activist.She told me about the heart rending stories of people who lived in the hospital.It left me speechless and humble.I was struck by a strong urge to devote my life to the betterment of people who lived on the fringes of society.I joined Sugathakumari as the treasurer of her trust ,Abaya.
I was a central government employee till 3 years ago.After retirement ,I set up a social welfare trust,Jeevana on May 2003 under which I established Jeevanalayam,a home for the destitute.Today Jeevanalaya looks after 33 destitute women and Jeevana supports the education of 113 children,both directly and through sponsors.Jeevana also sponsors the cost of medical care for the poor (especially the elderly); helps young women from the poor families find a suitable match;and organises anti dowry drives.The matrimonial alliances - I have arranged 52 so far- are facilitated through my contacts and matrimonial columns in newspapers.
Now I plan to start a retirement home with all modern facilities for senior citizen who are neglected by their own families.my only regret is that I could have done a lot more if I could move around more freely without being confined to a room