A special lunch

This cream and orange building, which was getting a fresh coat of paint when we visited, is Karunya nilayam (Abode of kindness?), which provides lunch and boarding for the poor who come for treatment at the Kottayam Medical College. I did not that the KMC was located in an Onam-kera-moola (I mean a place where even Onam, our State festival, doesnt visit = a god-forsaken place). There are not many shops or houses on the way but opposite the hospital many shops have mushroomed. It is not a very planned development on that hilly terrain.

The centre is run by the Orthodox church. The CSI and Catholic churches also run homes catering to the food and boarding needs of the poor patients. The boarding is meant for the poorer cancer patients coming for radiation therapy. The CSI home charges a room rental of Rs. 150 for two (patient and attender), tells my old maid whose husband makes use of the facility. It provides free breakfast, while the Catholic home provides a light dinner.

My old maid confides that the boarding in karunyanilayam is free in the dormitories, there is a paltry rental of Rs. 30 a day for the single rooms.

Since we gave donation for a day's lunch for some 300 people, we were invited to partake in the lunch and view the proceedings. The women attenders of patients had already queued up when we reached.

They need to give a letter from the hospital stating that their economic status warrants assitance. An official checks their identity cards before giving them the green card to collect the food. The priest in charge told us that sometimes a patient would have 3-4 attenders, as when there is an operation, and food is provided for all of them.

Many people came with small buckets to carry the kanji. This is the counter where food is distributed.

The food meant for the patients is kanji (rice gruel) and payar (green or red gram) and pappad. As guests of honour we also got yummy cabbage thoren, banana and pickle. I think a couple of other families made donations the same day as they had just finished their lunch in the hall.

The gentleman in charge of the kitchen served us food in the basement dining hall. We had made the donation in Ash's name. There he is, getting a special treatment.

The centre is closed only on three occasions - Onam, Christmas and Easter. The cooks are mainly Hindus and need an Onam holiday. But then, who in Kerala wouldnt want to celebrate Onam?

There is me and Vaava having our meals. The food is simply great. I mean it is not an eyewash in the name of philanthropy.