The song Andru vanthathum ithe nila from the 1963 Tamil classic Periya Idathu Penn played out loud in the hall. Ninety-seven-year-old Lalitha, draped in a bright orange sari, rose to her feet, her hands moving in perfect rhythm, and her eyes shining with a dancer’s grace. Within moments others joined her, and laughter and claps filled the hall. DG D Devendran and other Rotarians joined her on the dance floor.
The occasion was RID 3233’s Golden Seniors Diwali Celebration where around 600 elders from ten old-age homes across Chennai joined the Rotarians for a morning of fun and a scrumptious kalyana sapadu virunthu, (a traditional South Indian wedding feast on a banana leaf.) “More than an event, it felt like a homecoming for those who had long been waiting to be seen,” says the DG.
Later, when the music faded, I ask Lalitha how she had such perfect moves and expressions. Her family lived in Rangoon, Myanmar, before fleeing Burma when war broke out in the 1930s. “I was around five. We walked for days, then travelled by a sampan boat to reach Chennai,” she recalls. She learned Bharatanatyam at the Kalakshetra Foundation under her guru, KN Dhandayuthapani, and later joined Nadana Kala Seva, a dance troupe. “I was a background dancer in Tamil cinema and have performed in the movies Chandralekha (1948) and Marmayogi (1951) alongside icons like Vyjayanthimala, Lalitha-Padmini, and Jayalalithaa.
Her eyes light up as she speaks of her performance in the movie Chandralekha, “We rehearsed for a year, shot for three months under the scorching sun… but, those were golden days!” she says, before rising to show us a few steps from the famous drum dance.
After the loss of her husband and later her son, Lalitha came to Vishranthi old age home in 2012, a home to over 150 senior women. “I did not want to burden anyone. This place has given me peace,” she says. “Today, she is the life of the home, dancing for visitors recently, including Chief Minister MK Stalin,” says Manjula, a staff member at Vishranthi.
Among the audience were residents from homes like Vishranti, each with stories as moving as Lalitha’s. “They’ve lived extraordinary lives. When they get to sing, dance, or simply be celebrated, it gives them a reason to smile again,” says Manjula and proudly adds that in association with Rajan Eye Care, this home has been donating eyes for the last 25 years, 590 pairs so far!
Lalitha paati, flanked by a group of Rotarians wanting to take a selfie with her, smiles a toothless yet beautiful smile. “Recognition might come to people at different stages… I am happy that through my dance, people will know I exist. And I will continue dancing till I die,” she says.
“The event was planned with care and precision. Nine buses picked the men and women from 15 different locations in the city and it was heartwarming to see them curiously look out the window at the banners and bright decorations,” says DG Devendran. As the elders stepped out of the bus, some with walking sticks, some holding each other for balance, the Rotarians, with palms pressed together, heads bowed, welcomed them like family, saying, Vanakkam Amma… Vanakkam Appa.
Throughout the afternoon, Rotarians moved with care, adjusting chairs, escorting participants to the washroom, pushing wheelchairs, and serving meals. “We wanted them to have a memorable Diwali. This is not about charity. It is about dignity. When we create spaces like this, we remind our elders that they still belong,” says project chair Srikumar M. During lunch, an elderly man rose to his feet before beginning to eat to thank the Rotarians. “You have treated us like your own parents. Today, we feel seen, valued, and loved. This is what keeps us alive.”
Diwali gift hampers containing toiletries, coconut oil, a pain-relief balm, talcum powder, and a saree for women or a dhoti for men, were distributed to all present. “Another 400 hampers were sent to the respective homes for those who couldn’t attend,” says Srikumar.
A highlight of the celebration was the live band featuring senior retired members from Ilaiyaraaja’s music troupe. Addressing the gathering, actor and former MLA S Ve Shekher spoke about his late mother, “I see her in all of you. This is a blessing for me.” Sahitya Akademi award-winning Tamil writer and translator M Ramalingam also shared his views on ageing and how to “find laughter in everything.”
DGND M Ambalavanan and PDGs ISAK Nazar, R Srinivasan and Mahaveer Bothra were present at the event.
Pictures by Kiran Zehra