Let's live in the present

Sabita Radhakrishna's article (MM, January 16th) on life of the elderly is so topical today. Here is more food for thought on the subject.

The imperative needs of the senior citizens today are, in most cases, two: good health and financial security. Good health comprises (a) physical fitness and (b)mental alertness. A reasonable state of good physical health can be attained by 30-45 minutes' walking daily, preferably early in the morning. This can be supplemented by household chores e.g. cooking, household items shopping, even ironing clothes, etc. applicable where no full-time (but only part-time) live-in help is available.

Mental health signifies alertness of the mind, and is promoted by active and regular participation in small social circles, reading books and newspapers, working out crossword puzzles and sudoku, writing letters to editors (such as this one), working on computers, etc. If you had taken to playing contract bridge in your youth, classified by some as 'the king of indoor games', nothing like it, for it calls for not only good memory power and dexterity, but also for a certain level of intelligence. However, bridge has to be learned at an early age; an accomplished senior citizen, if asked to teach bridge to a novice/learner, encounters a 'mental block', for he is far more anxious to retain or even improve his own standards in the game than to impart it to others!

Financial security entails, more than anything else, owning a home, for which provision has had to be made during your working years, when you earned. If the senior citizen has attained a reasonably high status in professional life, provision could have been made for saving for a rainy day and post-retirement independence after, of course, covering other expenses, viz. marriage and education of offspring. Thus, he/she could fend for himself/herself in later years. However, if a person had encountered middle-level professional stagnation, resulting in financial stringency and inability to provide for a reasonable post-retirement standard of life, he/she would have to fall back on the progeny (whether NRI or living separately) to help such parents. This, of course, would entail an attitudinal willingness in the offspring regarding offer of help to the parents unasked for, and among the parents in accepting such help similarly willingly and without even a modicum of hesitation.

Senior citizens' homes (including gated communities) are widely prevalent in or near many metros. However, the credibility of most of them leaves a lot to be desired. In many cases, they are one-man shows averse to appropriate advice/suggestions from inmates, not to speak of exhibition of rudeness. In Chennai, a couple of such homes have been the cause of an exodus of residents to other cities such as Coimbatore, where the standards of such homes are reported to be better. However, while the plus point of old-age homes may be total relief from running your own home and freedom from chores like bills to pay regularly, maintenance problems and the like, you must remember that you are opting for it, burning your bridges, no longer being able to revert to your own old lifestyle in your own home. Further, such homes are characterised by the same generation or age-groups for company, whose main topics of conversation invariably veer round to geriatric ailments and the circumstances of his or her entry into senior citizens' homes. This, to a large extent, negates the plus or positive side of living in such homes.

If I recall correctly, it was Sabita Radhakrishna who, some years ago, visited Australia and described in an article published in Madras Musings the concept of 'assisted living' for elders prevalent there. Many elders are averse to moving out of their own homes (where they have lived for several years) mainly because of the familiar neighbouring environment of hospitals, pharmacies, doctors, banks, shopping areas, post offices, eateries, temples, etc. where he/she is known and greeted everywhere. Further, social interaction is not limited to the elders' own generation or age-group, but can be a wide spectrum ranging from young business executives, school and college students and others working or residing in the vicinity. Some of these young visit their 'grandpas' and 'grandmas' once in a while, not only to have interaction with them, but also to assist them in their daily chores, e.g. bill payments, errands, calls for medical help, if necessary, shopping, etc. In short, such tasks well constitute what is widely described as 'social work', to contribute to which many of the young are not averse today. In such an environment, many elders feel themselves totally at ease and comfort.

Finally, whatever is said and done, notwithstanding the above observations, the age-old maxim "The past is history, the future is a mystery, therefore, live in the present" will always hold good.

K.P. Mahalingam
6-B, The Peninsula
778, Poonamallee High Road
Chennai 600 010

Salem intriguing

As a native of Salem, I am distressed to read about the impending fate of the Salem landmark, the Clock Tower (MM, March 1st). It stirred memories of my childhood and adolescent years in Salem. The building housed Indian Bank as well as several other organisations such as the Literary Press, Sethu Sports and a bakery of repute. Just opposite the building was the Kottai Mariamman temple.

I think the memory of the clock tower stands preserved in some of the films produced by Modern Theatres.

In later years, I was intrigued by the name of my town. How did this place acquire its name? Is the place as old as Jerusalem, the ancient name of which was SALEM? I wonder how the locations in the following countries all got the same name of Salem.

Asia – 6
Salem, Khamti Sagaing, Burma 1
Salem, Sindudurg, Maharashtra, India 1
Salem, Tamil Nadu, India 1
Salem, Indonesia 3

Europe – 4
Salem, Germany 2
Salem Valencia, Communidad Valencia, Spain 1
Salem, Carmarthenshire-Sir Gaerfyrddin, Wales, U.K. 1

Africa – 2
Salem, Erongo, Namibia
Salem, Albany, Eastern Cape South Africa

Central America – 4
Salem, Jamaica 3
Salem, Montserrat 1

North America – 102
USA 102

– S.N. Mahalingam
64-A, Kalamegam Street Extn.
SBI Colony II Street Kamarajapuram
Chennai 600 073

Correct name

In my article 'A historian to be remembered (MM, March 1st) I had mentioned C. Minakshi's name as Cadambur Minakshi. It should read Cadambi Minakshi. I apologise for the inadvertent mistake.

Dr. Chithra Madhavan
drchithra@gmail.com

* * *

Dr. Cadambi Minakshi did her BA History at WCC and MA History at Madras Christian College, not at WCC (at stated). There were no girl students then at MCC. On her brother Prof. C. Lakshminarayanan's request, she was admitted as a special case and studied under the eminent History professors there.

Mahalakshmi Gourishankar
3, Ragamalika Apartments
6, Mahalakshmi Avenue
Chennai 600 041

* * *

Dr. C. Minakshi studied History in Madras Christian College from 1929 to 1931. At MCC, she worked with Prof. Ferrand Edward Corley, a great scholar who edited the College magazine for ten years, and published 16 articles in it on varied subjects. With distinction, she became the first woman postgraduate from the Department of History, MCC.

In 1939, Dr. Minakshi's article on Kailasanatha Temple was published in a book compiled and edited by C. Roberts, titled What India Thinks – A Symposium of Thought, contributed by 50 eminent men and women having India's interests at heart. Here, Minakshi's article features along with those of great men like Rabindranath Tagore, George Arundale, Subhas Chandra Bose and Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

Marilyn Gracey
Plot No. 117, 'Grace'
Yeshwanth Nagar, Madambakkam
Chennai 600 126

No encouragement?

I have been a regular visitor to the Mylapore Festival (MM, January 1st) during the last ten years and events like Pallankuzhi and Dayakattam played at festival site take many like me back to our youth days when we used to play such games in our villages.

I am also a regular walker at the Nageswara Rao Park where interesting events like music kutcheri for children, chess competitions and art workshops are organised as part of the Festival. Your article does not make any mention of the events at the Nageswara Rao Park. It would have been encouraging for the hundreds of children who participated there if you had written about those events too.

R. Sampath
Lakshmi Apts
Rangaiah Road
Mylapore, Chennai 600 004

EDITORS' NOTE: Madras Musings depends on contributions from correspondents and readers who volunteer to send in such reports. If our correspondent missed seeing these events, there's not much we can do about it.