Karusseril N Thankamma could have easily led the life of a retired teacher in her peaceful village in Kerala with the occasional visits to the temples and treasury office and some vacation with her grandchildren. She was, however, not ready to settle for the ordinary. At 84, perhaps the age when people think they have done and seen it all, she started a new chapter in her life. She called it ‘Manavodaya Pakalveedu’. The charitable society she founded recently turned a healthy five while Thankamma Teacher celebrated her 89th birthday with her family and the members of Pakalveedu.

Thankamma retired as a teacher of Hindi from the NSS Upper Primary School at Thampalakkad, near Kanjirappally, in Kottayam district.

‘Manavodaya Pakalveedu’ founded by Thankamma is like a day-care for the elderly women. Around 30 women, all above 60, gather everyday at Thankamma Teacher’s ancestral home, Karussery, at Thampalakkad. The doors of the 200-year-old Karussery Tharavadu was opened to the elderly mothers on October 11, 2017 on the occasion of Thankamma’s 84th birthday or sathabhishekam. The idea of a charitable society has been lingering in Thankamma’s mind since the death of her husband Kesavan Nair in 2004.

Formal entity, purposeful activities

Registered as a charitable society, Manavodaya has a group of paid employees, all young women, who make candle lights, incense sticks, paper bags, detergents and cleaning lotion. The elderly women spend their days at the house helping them. They also engage in some farming on the compound. The elderly women, often from a middle-class background and whose children are away, are picked from their homes in a vehicle in the morning and dropped back around 5 pm. A day at Pakalveedu starts with a secular prayer. Then there is a session of meditation and yoga and newspaper reading before it’s time for breakfast. The day is wound up with an evening walk. Pakalveedu in effect functions as a hangout for its members. The Karussery Tharavadu has been converted into the Pakalveedu with all necessary facilities including a Manavodya Clinic and Lab to take care of the health of its members.

A family meet is organised every month. The members perform their talents on the occasion. Pakalveedu also celebrates Onam and Christmas every year. The members are also taken out for a trip every year.

Skilling too

The products manufactured at Pakalveedu are sold through a shop adjacent to it. Whatever income the charitable society gets is all spent for the welfare of the members. For the past three years, Manavodayam has been operating a free stitching training centre for women. The latest addition to Manavodayam’s services is a computer centre which was inaugurated on Sunday by Pathanamthitta MP Anto Antony. The new computer centre will give free training in MS Office and accounting software to the needy initially with the help of two instructors.

“In hindsight, I would like to believe that I’m being motivated by the love and prayer of these mothers with me. Pakalveedu is giving me an opportunity to give back to society whatever it has given me. When I spend time with the mothers who come here I get immense happiness and peace,” Thankamma said on the occasion of her 89th birthday.

She said her efforts were also towards the cause of women empowerment. “We have employed women for all works here,” she said. The activities at Manavodaya are led by a qualified social worker.

Solid family backing

Thankamma has two sons Sreekumar and Satheesh Kumar and a daughter Geetha, all of them are away for work. It was their immense support to and faith in their mother that made Manavodaya a reality.

“Amma always believed in the idea of paying back to society. She wanted to do something for women who are alone. The activities at Manavodaya keep her healthy and happy,” said Sreekumar, who is the Chief Commercial Officer with Sutherland Global Services in New York.