GUWAHATI, Jan 12 � Life in the twilight years seems a monotonous journey complete with a wall of isolation. Many in this phase of life are often ignored by their own people adding to the misery of existing in a world where days and nights are all the same. A few even have to land up in old age homes for the remaining days of their lives where they wait with eagerness for a few friendly words from the outside world.
For the inmates of the Ambikagiri Rai Choudhury Memorial old age home at Patharquarry here, Wednesday turned out to be a memorable day as the outside world came calling at their door step.
A day-long programme that included indoor games competition, recitation, singing and public meeting was organised here at this old age home in the presence of a large number of senior citizens including 25 inmates of the home.
The function which was organised on the occasion of the 4th death anniversary of Punnamayi Devi, an educationist of Karbi Anglong began with a walking race and over 100 senior citizens participated in it.
Later a meeting was held and it was presided over by veteran journalist DN Chakravartty. Welcoming the guests on behalf of the organising committee, Nirmali Chakravorty, eldest daughter of late Punnamayi Devi said that her mother had dedicated her entire life for the educational advancement of the hill tribes and other backward communities of the State.
Dr Kunja Medhi, retired faculty of Gauhati University said that service to the cause of the poor and the down trodden was indeed the index of human civilisation.
Girija Mohan Saikia, Guluk Chandra Dutta, Dr Chandra Prava Bhuyan, Prativa Bhuyan, Taru Barua and Kusum Ujir while paying tributes to the memory of the departed educationist stressed the need for building up a band of dedicated teachers to rid the society from the current gloomy and chaotic situation.
Prizes were awarded to the inmates as well as invitees for best performance in the indoor games. Jugabrata Dutta, renowned radio artiste presented a song while Ruma Rajkhowa, Usharani Deka and Nirmali Chakravorty presented an impromptu play castigating the hypocrisy of the modern society. Lilaprava Das also spoke on the occasion.
Chakravartty in his presidential address said that holding of such fun filled programmes will enthuse and entertain the inmates of the old age home who generally suffer from loneliness.
