Entertaining the elders

Residents of the Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry Home for Senior Citizens, located on the grounds of the B. D. Petit Parsee General Hospital in Bombay, enjoyed an evening of unadulterated pleasure on December 16, 2008 when a group of enthusiastic women entertained them with Christmas carols, cake and cheer.

The entertainment program was organized by Roxana Kavarana, a nursery school teacher with no formal training in music who plays by ear and credits her father with encouraging her to hone her natural musical talent. Kavarana, who also teaches the tiny tots singing, communicated details of the program via e-mail, informing Parsiana that "it was a pleasure to see the senior citizens sing along with us, clap, dance and enjoy themselves… In fact, one elderly lady requested that we come again and entertain at her wedding!” Kavarana at the keyboard singing along with some friends opened with a few popular numbers before inviting Santa Claus (in the person of Banoo Jasoobhoy) to add to the festivities while they crooned carols and seasonal songs. The evening ended with delicious Christmas cake being served to all present, mentions the e-mail.

The idea was born many months earlier when Kavarana read about the sterling work being done by the Mistry family for senior citizens of the Zoroastrian community. She approached Patsy Mistry’s sister with an offer to arrange an entertainment program for the elders. After Mistry gave her the go-ahead Kavarana got together a small group of singers who regaled the senior citizens with songs in September 2008. Thrilled at the success of that sing-along, Mistry requested them to come again, and Kavarana offered to come back with a Christmas program. Dressed in festive colors, and with many more friends joining in this time, the Christmas concert was a runaway success.