Raising & Rising, A Social Outreach Activity in Tollygunge Homes

The Department of Economics of The Bhawanipur Education Society College along with the NSS Vertical of the college went for a visit to The Tollygunge Homes, an old age home located near Regent Park in Kolkata on June 10, 2022. The visit was accompanied by 4 students from the Department of Economics, Dr. Ivy Das Gupta and Ms. Anuradha Dutta, faculty members of the Department of Economics, and Ms. Gargi of NSS from the Commerce Department. This popular establishment, also a Unit of the East India Charitable Trust, provides service to old people both from local and other parts of the country. The purpose of this visit was to help these senior citizens by donating certain medical equipment.

 

Though this visit was short, it was an eye-opener for all the participants. It was a moment of happiness for the enthusiastic visitors and the elderly people who interacted with them. They were full of stories waiting to be shared as the college was the first one to visit them after a pandemic situation. They shared their experience of getting confined to the campus and the difficulty of accepting the protocols. The strict rules of non-interaction with the outer world seemed to be a punishment for them. Moreover, they made the young visitors learn that the main plight of staying there is to reside and adjust with the unknown people. However, in spite of such challenging tasks, the members of the organization have developed a strong sense of unity and live peacefully among themselves.

The scenic appeal of the organization was completely different from what it was thought. The well-kept lawns, freshly-painted buildings, a large pond and several walkways dividing up the estate shaped the Tollygunge Homes in a unique manner. Through the blissful interaction in the dining hall, the participants get to know about the daily routine of the elderly people. Regarding entertainment, they watch movies every day after lunch and play indoor-games including scrabble, housie, and cards. In fact, most of them feel pity for Generation Z who are not able to enjoy games and sports due to the burden of examinations.

 

The organization has an ambulance and a nurse to provide 24×7 medical facilities for elderly people. Considering the situation, The Bhawanipur Education Society College donated 2 Fowler Beds, 6 Nebulizers and 6 Walkers to this old age home. However, the valuable lessons and indelible memories received in return were just as precious, if not more: a perspective on life hitherto undiscovered. The resolute dedication of the inmates at Tollygunge Homes towards life, and their coalescing into forming a family of their own at the institute, spoke volumes about the ways people can adapt to most situations in life, and how people must keep at hand the ability to do the same.