Ramanathan has not gone home in 9 days. He has been sleeping on a mat and his tiny bag of clothes serve as his pillow. The room is full of sanitizers, gloves and masks. Ramanathan and his team manage Sevashram on East Venkataswamy Road in R.S.Puram at Coimbatore. The ashram was established in 1936 and is a home for more than forty kids who need support. These days the ashram is working hard in order to supply food to the poor and the needy for the last over one week. The Corona times have become trying times.
Ramanathan has not gone home in 9 days. He has been sleeping on a mat and his tiny bag of clothes serve as his pillow. The room is full of sanitizers, gloves and masks. Ramanathan and his team manage Sevashram on East Venkataswamy Road in R.S.Puram at Coimbatore. The ashram was established in 1936 and is a home for more than forty kids who need support. These days the ashram is working hard in order to supply food to the poor and the needy for the last over one week. The Corona times have become trying times.
Update: When this article was originally published, Sevashram was providing food for 7000 people. As on 7th April, Sevashram has been supplying to over 15,000 needy people in Coimbatore and ensuring that no one goes to bed hungry.
"The Corona has attacked the world and now we are under a lock down. It is the duty of each one of us to help the needy in someway. Seva Bharathi is trying to help by making tasty and healthy tomato rice for 5000 people everyday.
Our volunteers carry them in crates filled with these packets and supply it to the needy in more than 30 locations. The locations include Pappanaickenpalayam, Chinnavedampatti, Ganapathy, Saravanampatti and a number of other places. We identify the poor, the old who need food and migrant workers in the city and give them food. The list is evolving and growing by the day. Our volunteers from Seva Bharathi and RSS are helping us on an hour to hour basis. The work is fast paced and we are happy to serve the society at its hour of need," stated Ramanathan from the spartan office in Sevashram.
The entrance to Sevashram is now manned by a few volunteers. Every entrant is registered and a mask is offered just in case they need one. The volunteers offer sanitizers to the entrants each and every time. This is followed by all the inmates too.
The kitchen is buzzing with activity and one can see the women and men cutting vegetables, greens and also cooking the food. Some are stirring while one see some people carrying the cooked food to the packing room. The food is packed in plantain leaves and newspapers. Crates are used to store and transport the packets. The commitment and sincerity of each and every volunteer needs to be accoladed. Many of them stated that they are in it for the society and did not want to be photographed. The volunteers carry the food crates from 10 AM onwards and it goes on for the next couple of hours. It is well past three by the time the work is completed.
Discussions, phone calls, arrangements are going on side by side. Ramanathan and his friends take time off to explain the happenings to people who enquire over phone amidst their busy schedule. They get the same type of items in order to maintain consistency and quality. "Our day begins at 5:30 AM. The volunteers get up and have a bath. Thereafter, they clean the entire premises. Of course it is cleaned every few hours. Thereafter it is sanitized and sterilized. Cooking begins only after this process. Every chair and table are turned upside down while being cleaned. A lot of care is being taken for we cannot take chances. Life is precious. We look into the stock of goods, availability in the market through the day. A lot of analysis is done and we try to feed every needy person. The resident patients and their attenders in the GH are provided food during these trying times. We have begun giving food to about 45 transgenders from today. Poor migrant labourers are identified and fed. Our ashram is offering a special service during these trying times. Migrant labourers are permitted to have a bath, have food and go back to their dwellings. This facility is open during the times of this pandemic only. A large number of street vendors are served. There are about 200 broomstick manufacturers in the Thondamuthur area. They make broomsticks, carry it on their person and sell them in the streets. They are unable to pursue their vocation now. Therefore we provide them with food. Its our duty to help by serving the people. One should not be bothered about recognition while serving the society. Serving gives great joy and it has been our motto for long. Our country has been known for its kindness from time immemorial," added Ramanathan.
When queried about the requirements, Ramanathan added, "As of now we will need 20 tonnes of rice, six tonnes of groundnut oil, 5 tonnes of soya and proportionate quantity of onions, tomatoes and other items. A lot of bathing soap, dishwashing material, detergents, cleansers, anti septic lotions, sanitizing materials and sterilizing stuff will be required. Of course there is packing, transporting etc.,We are trying to be of help to the society and this is done through voluntary support. Happy to serve at an hour of need," spoke Ramanathan.
Former Round Tabler Rajkumar and a number of Seva Bharathi volunteers were in action. They could be seen directing people in order to ensure that high standards of hygiene are met. The committed volunteers have been braving the situation. Everyone had a mask on and gloves were part of the dress code. The kitchen and the packing area gets cleaned up several times a day. One could see commitment and service at its best. These Warriors are the need of the hour.
“Dr. Karthik of Global Ortho Hospital has been of great help. He supports the initiative financially and volunteers to distribute food too. In spite of shortages, he offers the best masks and gloves. Prabhu Venkatesh is another source of support and inspiration. Our work in fact begins at 5: 30 AM. We begin the day by giving hot milk to the patients at the Intensive Care Unit in the Government Hospital. The nurses, doctors and others are given hot tea. Their food consists of poori and Subzi. The day gets fulfilled after giving dinner to about 240 women in the maternity ward. Meanwhile we give food to about 7000 people during the day. Our people are working round the clock in this regard,” added Ramanathan.