Tibetan Homes Foundation – OPH

Homes for the elderly under the Tibetan Homes Foundation exile village in Mussoorie (Masuri) were built in the 1960s in two locations near the Indian city of Dehradun. They are more than an hour away by car with an elevation gain of 1000 meters. One is right in Mussoorie, the other in Rajpur. 16 senior citizens live in Mussoorie, 36 in Rajpur.

Rajpur

The Old People’s Home in Rajpur can provide facilities for 70 people. The concrete building looks very austere, the humid climate strongly affects it.

Grandmothers and grandfathers spend most of their time in the corridors and outside. Since 2018, they have new outdoor facilities where they can spend their free time. We were very happy to see their outdoor space undergo a transformation that will benefit them meaningfully in spending their free time.

A London-based organization funded the construction of a large tin shield to protect the outdoor space from the sun, so the elderly can spend time outside in the comfort of the shade. They were also given a large “Mani Khörlo” – an island of prayer wheels that represent the traditional way of praying. They are filled with prayers and used to serve as a prayer tool for illiterate Tibetans. Spinning activated the prayers inside.

Amazing people work at Dom. They work with minimal resources. We met two nurses who take care of the elderly with great love and respect. A total of three nurses take care of the old women. Those seniors who have joint pain are placed here, it is much warmer here in winter than in Mussoorie. There are a lot more monkeys in Rajpur, so one has to be careful of windows, doors and even one’s personal belongings. Monkeys are very clever thieves.

The sanitary facilities are very basic and would deserve reconstruction. Time takes its toll on bathroom waste. These “small” but not cheap changes will make life very pleasant for everyone in the home.

With your donations, medical and hygiene supplies, warm winter clothes, food and tea are purchased for them. From time to time, the caregivers treat them to small treats to celebrate important days and holidays, including the New Year, or oil for butter lamps. In particular, however, accommodation and care costs are covered.

We also try to support seniors with other supportive one-off projects.

Mussoorie

Seniors in the “Happy Valley”, as Mussoorie is called, unfortunately have no similar variety of outdoor spaces. The private owner took away part of the outdoor space where they could spend time. Due to its fresh climatic conditions, Mussoorie is an increasingly sought-after place where wealthier Indians go to spend weekends. That is why this place is becoming an increasingly crowded tourist destination, where land prices are rising and the other consequences associated with it correspond to this, especially the demands for drinking and utility water. At least they have a large common room with a beautiful altar, television, sofas where they drink tea and spend time. They like meeting each other very much.

The previous lives of these first arrivals of Tibetans in India were very hard. In the new overpopulated culturally, linguistically and geographically completely different country, they had to occupy the lowest jobs for the illiterate. They had no choice but to start working as builders on high mountain roads for example, which was one of the most demanding jobs ever. They are called “Kuli”, builders. They were paid a maximum of CZK 20 per day for their hard work. The work environment was extreme – inhospitable mountains, altitude, harsh sun and tons of dust and rocks, no distractions or commerce anywhere. They had a very simple and poor life. Women often participated in these works with their children. Other earning possibilities included work and activity in the army, which was financially very advantageous. Many Tibetans also worked for the community in exile villages. In rural areas, there was no other livelihood than working on small fields.

When health or family problems were added to these life circumstances, it was very difficult to deal with the situation. The home for the elderly therefore also offers support for people in a difficult life situation with health problems who cannot take care of themselves. The employees of the Home help them with everything they need. Some old people need assistance with hygiene, food, dressing, some are still completely independent.

In many cases, the elderly have no family and no one to whom their lives relate. Of course, the central figure of every Tibetan is His Holiness the Dalai Lama, whose portrait adorns the room of every senior citizen and indeed every Tibetan household or shop. In addition to JS Dalai Lama, one more person plays a very important role in their lives – and that is the donors! They are very strongly aware of solidarity and it is an aspect that is so prominent and so important in the project!

In addition to problems associated with old age, often the elderly placed in a home have psychological indispositions or, for example, have completely lost their hearing, do not speak and are unable to communicate with their surroundings.

The program for the elderly in the home is very monotonous and routine. Morning and evening prayers take place together in the hall, during the day recitations

The program for the elderly in the home is very monotonous and routine. Morning and evening prayers are held together in the hall, reciting mantras during the day. Shared breakfast, lunch and dinner, tea and hot water four times a day. Those who can go for walks. They watch TV together, talk to each other. Any diversification of the program is very welcome. The life-scarred hands and fingers of these seniors are constantly grinding one ball of prayer beads after another, whispering the mantras of compassion OM MANI PADME HUM between their teeth.

“May all beings be happy and free from suffering.”