Christmas cheer for seniors

Nearly 100 residents of the F. S. Parukh Dharamshalla in Bombay, all 65+ in age, were treated to a Christmas party on December 20, 2010. They enjoyed a mellifluous rendering of Christmas songs and other favorite numbers by a group of ladies led by Roxana Kavarana who was joined by her sister Kamal, mother Villoo, Zarin Wadia, Gulshan Shroff, Tehmina Irani, Tina Mehta, Gai Sachdev, Rashna Patel, Pervin Mehta and Tania Poonawala, as per an e-mail received by Parsiana from Zarin Havewala, a committee member. Participating in the merriment, the residents and committee members sang along, clapped and danced. A fully decorated Christmas tree stood in a prominent place in the hall.

Kavarana and her troupe were then taken around the Dharamshalla which is run by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP). Residents are not only housed here, they are also provided food, clothing and medical facilities. The day-to-day running of the facility is in the hands of a team comprising a resident manager, assistant manager, supervisor, day and night nurses, ayahs and ward boys overseen by a committee comprising BPP trustees Arnavaz Mistry and Armaity Tirandaz as well as Zenobia Adajania, Zarine Chothia, Maharukh Noble, Bakhtavar Tarapore, Pervin Shroff and Havewala. Entertainment for residents is provided in the form of television, music, movies, dance, magic shows. Religious discourses are also held. A monthly party celebrates birthdays with much regalement, including the cutting of a celebratory cake.

At the Christmas party every resident and member of the staff received a gift and everyone enjoyed falooda with Christmas cake. Spirits were up in anticipation of the New Year’s party to follow shortly, Havewala mentions. The committee acknowledges that all this would not be possible without the generosity of benefactors and well-wishers of this well maintained old age home for community members.