Home of Hopes:Nazareth Niwas

Ever thought how life would be when we all grow old with wrinkled faces trying to walk with an old walking stick and only looking forward to when we will die and achieve the peace we will be craving for? But there are people who enjoy this stage of life too. A good example of this is Nazareth Niwas, a home for the elderly.

Nazareth Niwas is a beautiful home for the aged. It is situated in Bondel, Mangaluru. Under the management and attention of Carmelite sisters of Saint Teresa the residents are well looked after. “We have number of home for the aged, but this is a different house. This is a house where most of the residents have worked, retried and seek a comfortable place. Most of the time now the children study and they go outside for work and there they live. They cannot be with their parents because the environment is not suitable for their parents most of the children are in the Gulf, Australia, London, USA and searching the place at this age. The parents find it difficult to stay over there therefore their children seek a home for their parents where they can live a comfortable life”. Says Sister Nancy CSST, Superior of Nazareth Niwas.

Nazareth Niwas was inaugurated on April 21, 2010. The unveiling of the marble plaque was carried out by Sr Fridoline, CSST, Provincial Superior, St Teresa’s Provincial House, Mysore. Rev. Dr Aloysius P D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore quoted Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata who has served the sick and the needy selflessly.  He expressed his happiness in seeing the building complete in all respects provided with best amenities for comfortable stay.

There is a great story as to why home for the aged was Nazareth Niwas. “We named this house Nazareth because one of our sister, sister who lives in Bondel near St Laurence church behind Daiji world. When sister Josephette brothers were dividing the property they asked if she or her congregation wants to do anything with the land as they had purpose of building a home for the aged as their parents wanted to build one and for this the sister said and came the name Nazareth Niaws which is named after their surname.” Said Sister Nancy CSST, Superior of Nazareth Niwas.

During the Inauguration a felicitation function was wherein Rudolph Nazareth, Ronald Nazareth, Reuben Nazareth, Ralph Nazareth along with Sister Josephette, CSST, were thanked for their generous gesture in donating land free of cost for building Nazareth Niwas. Three Coconut sampling were planted in the compound of the Nazareth Niwas.

The resident are free to do their activity. The residents spend their time in reading, watching TV, praying and chitchatting and entertaining each other. But even though this people are having fun they still long to meet their children and their grandchildren as Gertie Dsouza one of the residents says “The best thing a child can do for their parents is taking care of them in their old age”. The resident at Niwas are self-satisfied happy and cheerful.

Photography courtesy: Sister Gigi

Text: Sunny Fernandes