Vrindavan Hall here on Sunday brimmed with enthusiasm and smiles as many rekindled a hope to find a partnership for life’s second innings.
While some lost their spouse few decades ago, a few had never been married. Some walked in despite opposition from their children while some spoke for their kids. Introductory convention for senior citizens and elderly, organised by Senior Citizens Welfare Forum, Raipur, brought together 12 men and six women above the age of forty who were either unmarried, divorced, widow or widower. The aim of this convention was to provide a platform to this section of the society for finding a companion.
The participants came up on the stage and introduced themselves one by one. Apart from age, income and its source, they spoke candidly about the qualities that they are looking for in their would-be partner. Sporting a red rose, eighty-two-year-old Venkatesh Ganpat Rao Khandwekar said he had come to the convention looking for a live-in relationship. With his and his late wife’s pension, he earns over Rs 25,000 per month. “I am willing to give a commitment but I won’t be entitled to my wife’s pension if I get married again,” he said.
Talking about the resistance that he faced from his children and their spouse, 68-year-old widower Narendra Kumar Sinha said his daughter’s blood pressure shot up and she was hospitalised when he first talked about his intention of remarriage. “I then said that consider me as your son who is now old and lonely and think about my happiness,” he said. His children did not warm up to the idea.
On one hand where Sinha faced opposition from his children, a senior citizen who had come to speak up for his widower son presented a stark contrast. “After the demise of my daughter-in-law last year, I see my son suffer the pangs of loneliness. He is an introvert like I and thus I can relate to his state. It is too late for me but my son has many years ahead of him,” said father of 62-year-old lalit Pandey.
With the support from her three children, a widow for 22 years Mamta Soni took part in the convention. “I am looking for a man who compliments me and is willing to accept me for who I am. life is tough and a partner makes it bearable.” A similar programme was held in the city on February 14 Valentine’s Day in 2012 where six participants found an alliance for themselves. “Today, when an old man is neglected by everyone and has nobody to turn to, neither his children nor the society comes forward to comfort him. It is time that the senior citizens think for themselves and become their own match maker, said organiser of the programme Manik lal Bachchani.
An unmarried, 61-year-old Prakash Dengra said he is willing to accept a woman with her children and has no caste-bar. “After a point in life, one realises that none other than a wife or a husband can understand you completely and as they say it is never too late,” Dengra chuckled.