Pranab Saikia’s Inspiring Journey of Compassion for 300 widows of Vrindavan

New Delhi: Gurgaon Guy Supporting 300 old widows of Radha Kund Vrindavan Collecting Scrap Old Clothes, Utensils & News Papers from Different Apartments of Delhi NCR.

By a Correspondent

Here is a guy from Gurgaon who has been supporting 300 old widow mothers of Radha Kund Vrindvan by collecting scrap old clothes, utensils and newspapers from different Apartments in Delhi NCR.

Pranab Saikia is a journalist by profession associated with the leading business newspaper of India. Five years back when he saw a ninety-year-old widow's mother taking food from the dustbin, he offered her a hundred rupee note, the old lady sarcastically rejected the note. She said you are here to give me a few bucks for today but tomorrow you will not be here and I will have to again collect food from the dustbin. Pranab then vowed he would do everything to help these old widow mothers.

“These particular words hurt me and within a few days I started a kitchen along with my two friends. Soon our trust was formed under the name of Hiranmoyee India Foundation. It is a non-profit, non-government registered NGO having Pan Card, 80G for tax benefit, 12 A Certificates and its bank account,” informed Pranab Saikia.

Presently, the Foundation has been focusing on improving the living conditions of the widow mothers of Vrindavan, especially those living in the Radha Kund areas in Goverdhan. They are providing them with free food in their Annapurna Kitchen located at Radha Kund. Besides food items, the foundation has also been providing different essential items for daily use. They are providing to these 300 old widow mothers sarees, blouses, petticoats, chappal, detergent powders, soaps, toothpaste, brass, woollen sweaters, shawls, blankets, socks, utensils, buckets, breakfast snacks and complete medical care.

Initial few months things were going well but it became very tough for Pranab to carry on his philanthropic work after a few months. In the initial year his friends, neighbours and acquainted people helped the widows. But it became tough to ask for help from the same circle of people again and again. At one time he thought he would shut down the kitchen. Soon his team started appealing to residents of different Apartments in Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad and Delhi to donate their scrap old clothes, utensils, and newspapers. Soon residents started responding by donating these items.

“In the initial few months bodies from our volunteer team members were ready to go for a collection of the old clothes, utensils, newspapers etc. from door to door. They felt ashamed. Then I came forward alone to collect scrap old clothes, utensils and newspapers from door to door from different residents of Delhi NCR on my bike despite my busy schedule of Media work. From Monday to Saturday after 7 pm when my office work was over I started going to a collection drive of scrap old clothes, utensils, newspapers etc. till 11 pm. Sunday at 4 am I carry these items to Radha Kund Vrindavan and distribute them to our old widow mothers. On my appeal, these residents started giving us rations to feed these widow mothers. It was a really heavy task for me alone. After a few months, my health deteriorated. Looking at my initiative our other volunteers also started following in my footsteps and started collecting scrap old clothes, utensils, and newspapers from the residents,” narrates Pranab Saikia.

Widow mothers of Radhaund are always neglected and ignored. Radhakund is 20 km far from the main Vrindavan town. Hardly any help reaches these widows. Most of the widows are spurned by their in-laws and relatives after the death of their husbands in their early life. Their properties are usurped and all their belongings are taken away and driven out from their home. Several widows are above 90 years old. They need urgent care and attention. Some of them have become maniacs. Several widow mothers are afflicted with incurable diseases. They need proper medical care. They are exploited in every step of their life physically and mentally.

Looking into our selfless sewa people from all classes-professional, housewife , student coming forward to help us. Till now the NGO has not got any funds from any corporate house.

Expenses for running the kitchen, salary of the cook, electricity bill and medicines are getting high. Help is not coming in a big way to the foundation. “It has become very tough for us to help these widow mothers. I appeal to all people please come forward and help us in whatever way you can. Because your small help can make a great change to the life of these abandoned widow mothers and they will bless you a lot,” added Pranab Saikia.