By Belinda Viegas

Panaji: Of the many brave and wonderful women I have come across, I salute Anita Rodricks, a retired school teacher, the founder of Karunalaya (abode of mercy), homes for the dying and destitute..

At a time when caring for a small family is already becoming increasingly difficult, this wonderfully brave woman has shouldered the responsibility of caring for abandoned humans, regardless of race, religion, language or sex. Widowed early in her marriage, with three small children to look after, Rodricks has experienced the cruelties of life. However, instead of becoming bitter and morose, she opened her heart to other suffering souls.

Inspired by what she experienced in Sneha Sadan, near Hubli, run by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, she opened the first home in Navge, near Belgaum, in Feb 2005, with two residents. The numbers have steadily grown and now houses 65 people. To cope with the increasing demand, with a number of destitute coming from Goa, she opened a second home in Pirna, Goa, in Feb 2011, which was home to eleven until the start of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Her homes are oases of loving care for individuals that have been rejected, often by their own families and thrown onto the roads. Privileged to be associated with Karunalaya from the very beginning, I truly feel it is not just a very special place, but also blessed.

I have seen patients being brought in such piteous states, that I thought I would not see them again on my next visit. And yet, there they were, recovered and actually blooming. I soon realized this was because of the care and love they received there, along with proper medical attention, nutritious diet and the hygienic conditions.

What also makes Karunalaya so special, I think, is that it offers inmates a safe space to be themselves without any fear of rejection. The pervasive atmosphere of family instills a deep sense of belonging.

Many suffer from various psychiatric disorders which is not surprising at all. Almost all come with a lot of baggage from the past – feelings of being discarded and rejected by family members. They have conspicuous eccentricities and oddities of behavior and speech, which could make them outcasts in ‘normal’ society; but here they are welcomed and accepted as they are. The smiles that greet you as you enter the gates of Karunalaya is testimony to this.

Most are grateful, aware that they would not get this kind of care anywhere else and are contented. But there are, sadly, a very few who are not appreciative of all the advantages they are offered. Their ungratefulness too, is calmly accepted with warm smiles! Anita is kind and soft hearted.

Karunalaya fortunately has a great staff under the capable guidance of Didi Rukmini. I am always amazed at their dedication; the concern and love they bestow on those under their care, always with a smile on their faces. It is no easy task, as quite a few of the patients are bedridden or wheelchair bound, requiring help for all their needs.

And then, there are the family members and friends of Rodricks, without whose helping hands, all this would not be possible. However, the true spirit behind the success of Karunalaya is Rodricks, her generosity and love. She will not hesitate to get down on her knees to clean and dress painfully infected wounds, to feed or bathe someone who is unable to do it for themselves.

And always wondering where she will get the funds to continue her great mission.
I pray that God, in whose bounty she places her faith and hopes, will continue to shower His blessings on her and her blessed mission in life.

(Belinda Viegas is a psychiatrist based in Goa. She attends to patients in Karunalaya.)