THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
The ‘Family get-together’ at the SMSS Hindu Mahila Mandiram at Poojappura here on Sunday turned out to be an emotional home coming for the past inmates of Kerala’s premier women welfare and charity institution in its centenary year.
It also became an occasion for them to meet and express their deep gratitude to the ‘mothers’ of the home who gave them a hand holding to come up in life by facilitating their education, and recall nostalgic memories of the years they spent at the institution, which they still cherish as their home.
Mahila Mandiram has every reason to be proud of its long history of exemplary service and contributions for women’s empowerment when it celebrates its centenary, said Aswathi Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore Royal Family, who was the Chief Guest at the event.
Those who grew up under the care and affection of the mothers of the institution would never feel that they were alone in their lives as this institution is a joint family, said Aswathi Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi, who is also the Patron of Mahila Mandiram.
Striking a personal note, she recalled that she missed the opportunity to study in a school as she was home-tutored and wrote her SSLC examination sitting at the palace, on a special permission from the government, before pursuing higher studies in college. On the other hand, children of Mahila Mandiram had the precious opportunity to learn in school with all its joy and advantages, she noted.
Dr Maya, a retired Sanskrit teacher who became a ‘child’ of Mahila Mandiram as a sixth standard student , reminisced the love and affection bestowed on the children by the ‘mothers’ of the institution. The day started with lighting of flame at the Samadhi of Mahila Mandiram’s founder K Chinnamma, followed by floral tribute to her enduring memories.
Dr PB Santhadevi, former president of Mahila Mandiram, presided over the function. The gathering included those who lived at Mahila Mandiram at various points of time and entered different walks of life after education, mothers who took care of them and employees and past and present office-bearers of the institution.
A trail-blazer in empowerment of women through education in Kerala, SMSS Hindu Mahila Mandiram was founded by social reformer and educator K Chinnamma to help girls from economically and socially less privileged background, irrespective of caste or religion.
The institution recently presented educational assistance to 100 girl students as part of a set of centenary year schemes, as a tribute to the outstanding contributions and selfless services of Chinnamma as torch-bearer of women’s advancement in
Kerala.
