For those whose India is shining, the country’s population is a vital stat. A demographic, whose dividend should be reaped. Fifty-six per cent of India, as the cliche goes, is below the age of 25; 70% below 35.
But what of the rest? What, indeed, of those who are beyond the “working age population”—retired, over the hill, abandoned, unwell, ailing—and neither below 25 nor 35?
At the opening of a centre to help the elderly in Bangalore on Saturday, some very willing enthusiasts take part in a musical exercise to demonstrate that the future is ahead of them, too, if only we would notice.
Photograph: Karnataka Photo News
Also read: Is it wrong for parents to stay in old-age homes?
churumuri 
India needs well equipped old age homes.
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Excellent.
It’s pretty shameful how we treat old people in our culture. Shoved under the carpet by the media, by the glamor and glitz, by the cheerleaders of the IPL, it’s all too easy to forget that these are people, human consciousnesses that have feelings and deserve to live with dignity, respect and, above all, inclusion.
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Nice initiative! Certainly the older section of society needs more caring and love. They only need our time and not financial help in true sense!
I have written an article sometime ago on similar lines, an incident I came across:
http://beyondinvestments.blogspot.com/2010/01/can-you-father-your-grandfather.html
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It is nice to see such positive attitude from these seniors who have seen life and wear the scars of it bravely. They deserve respect, love and dignity that many a times is missing in their lives. It is good to see them go shake a leg than the usual ‘vayassayithu, kaala aayithu attitude’ I battle with my 60 year old relatives.
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Old age plan is what everybody of yester years have not thought of. They were so engrossed in to the daily hardships to make the ends meet, to bring up their children that they have not spared a few for themselves. It is taken for granted that their children will take care of them.
As per our religious texts, when you do something to somebody, there should not be any favor anticipated. The anticipation starts from the birth of a child and it is wished to be male so that it will take care of them in their old age. Birth of a female is considered as a somebody else’s treasure. That is the reason better education was given to male than a female.
The life dictates that we should carry our duties without any strings attached and when the time comes we should detach ourselves, like a cucumber (difference between a cucumber and other fruits is that the others are felled by the trees when it is ripe but whereas a cucumber drops itself off when it is ripe), from bondage and material comforts and spend the life seeking god’s blessings.
In the olden days these were followed and the elderly couples used to leave the samsara and spend their remaining days in the holy places.
This concept was adopted only with the intention that the younger ones need their part of life to be managed by them through a hard way. It is also with the foresight that what all can happen if there is a prolonged bondage.
Man is the only animal who continues to stay with the family for a longer period of time. Other animals leave as soon as they are capable of taking care of themselves and neither do the elders stick to the younger ones for support.
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