Any major move calls for weighing its pros and cons; more so when it is contemplated way past one’s prime.
Two Paripalana Retirement Home families that I know of returned to Bangalore for different reasons. One, when he was hospitalized, his son in Bangalore told him that it would be difficult for him to make it to Coimbatore often and suggested his parents to move back to base.
The other responded in Shakespearean style, “Not that I like Coimbatore less, but that I love Bangalore more.”
Against this backdrop we have equal number of families who moved permanently to Paripalana. One argued, “You know we were right in front of Forum mall, and just ten steps away from Konanakunte Metro station in Bangalore. Regardless we took the plunge for the Retirement home after a few last-minute back and forth stays in both the places.”
The other family had a sprawling house in a calm and serene locality where pollution-free air is the chief attraction. Still they decided to move here.
Comparisons are invidious. One can’t help doing it at times. In our case a permanent shift from Bangalore will mean moving from a 900-apartment complex, built in eight towers of 20 to 26 storeys where community living takes the cake. Name any festival, and it is celebrated – Ekatva, Rajyotsava (birth of Karnataka), all religious and regional festivals such as Onam, Christmas, Holi and what have you.
Next to our gated community is Madheswara temple on a hillock where mass catering for every festival is the name of the game. Turahalli forest, declared thus by an act of legislation, borders ours. Precisely why our complex is named Sobha Forest View. Chirping of birds and dancing of peacocks in merriment greet us every morning.
“Small is beautiful,” on the contrary, describes aptly, as it is meant to, the life in Paripalana 3. Lord Guruvayurappan presides over the complex enjoying the best of breeze from the adjacent coconut grove, leaving the rest for the residents. In the last ten days that we are here we have been a party to Rama Navami, Panguni Uttiram celebrations, Lalitha Sahasranamam, Vishnu Sahasranaman, Pradosham Rudram chants, and practice sessions of Bhajan, Narayaneeyam, Bhagavatam…, and a day trip in two Tempo Travels to a Kerala temple.
You need to cover just four floors in the lift to reach to the ground, and not descend to earth from the 19th floor to buy vegetables. Sorry, no need for vegetables here. You just walk to the Dining Hall three times a day and enjoy your breakfast, lunch and dinner – all announced a week in advance. That allows one to take a call on whether to skip a particular menu and order from a private lady caterer nearby.
Yes, the list is endless – on both sides. It is a tie, to sum up. But the scale at times tilts slightly towards the Retirement Home. The reason? Charity begins at home. I have enjoyed retirement for more than two decades, but the lady of the house never had a moment of respite. My retirement has only added to her woes, with my occasional hints: ‘how about a little second coffee - or even buttermilk?’ Or, “it’s raining outside, how about frying some pakodas to go with it?” Otherwise during my working days, once off to work at 7.30 am, she had all the time for herself till 5.30 pm.
“Be that so, but do you necessarily have to relocate just to give her respite,” confront me those who want us to stay back in Bangalore. “You can engage a cook, just order vegetables online, and enjoy the dishes of your choice,” they argue.
As confused as ever.
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