India, with its deep-rooted traditions, religious principles, and laws, has long upheld the belief that caring for ageing parents is a child’s responsibility. However, in a country known for revering its elders, a hidden crisis has surfaced: a growing number of older people are being left to fend for themselves as their children move to distant lands for work.
Take, for instance, Chandanki village in Mehsana district of Gujarat. The village is quiet, devoid of the playful shouts of children or the bustle of a younger generation. The landscape is dotted with simple homes, but standing strong like the residents who remain.
Once a lively place with over 1,100 residents, the village has seen its younger generations move away to cities and even abroad to countries like the United States, Canada and Australia.
Now, only about 500 people remain, most of them elderly, with the youngest being 58-year-old sarpanch Poonambhai Patel, who spent 20 years in New York before returning to his native land.
The elderly women in the village, many of whom suffer from health issues, were struggling with the daily task of cooking. As the years passed, the once simple task became increasingly burdensome.
Meals were often prepared just once a day, with leftovers being eaten in the evening or even the next morning. It became clear to the villagers that this practice was taking a toll on their health.
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Recognising this, a group of villagers decided to take matters into their own hands. They established a community kitchen, a place where the elderly could gather, share a meal, and most importantly, find companionship. For a monthly fee of Rs 2,000 a person, subscribers receive two freshly prepared meals each day.
Strength in shared meals
The idea for the community kitchen, funded by the villagers, was born out of necessity and compassion. The simple act of eating together has become a lifeline, transforming what could have been a story of decline into one of resilience and connection. Despite the loneliness that comes with ageing and the absence of youth, the villagers have found strength in each other.
Poonambhai Patel, who supervises the community kitchen, is the driving force behind this initiative. “We started the kitchen because the elderly citizens here cook only once a day. They eat the same food in the evening and sometimes even the next morning. It’s not good for their health,” said Poonambhai. His wife and daughter live in Ahmedabad, but his heart remains in Chandanki.
The meals prepared in the kitchen are simple yet nourishing. Lunch typically includes dal, rice, roti, vegetables and a sweet dish. Dinner features farsan such as methi gota, dhokla and idli-sambar, along with khichdi-kadhi and bhakri-roti-sabzi.
The cooks, hired by the villagers for a fixed monthly fee of Rs 11,000, take pride in their work, knowing they are providing more than just food — they are offering comfort and care.
On any given day, 35 to 40 villagers gather in the solar-powered, air-conditioned hall adjacent to the community kitchen. The hall, a symbol of modernity in this traditional village, is a place of warmth and connection.
Elders reclaim their lives
For many in Chandanki, their kitchen is an antidote to the isolation that has slowly crept into their lives as their children moved out.
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As the noon sun bears down on the empty streets, the elderly men and women gather at the community kitchen, moving slowly but with purpose. They wear simple clothes. Their faces are etched with lines that speak of years of hard work, yet their eyes are soft, filled with a quiet joy as they greet one another.
There’s laughter and gentle conversation as they sit together. As they eat, the sounds of clinking metal dishes mix with the murmur of voices, creating a soft, rhythmic background to their shared moments.
Each meal is a moment of companionship, a time to reminisce about their children and grandchildren, share stories, and comfort one another.
In the late evenings, when the earliest stars appear high in the night sky and the warm breeze carries with it the scent of simmering spices and freshly cooked rotis, 72-year-old retired banker Ramesh Patel gives himself a knee-shake and heads to the common kitchen.
Ramesh relocated from Ahmedabad to Chandanki after his retirement, while his son Jigar lives in Australia. Like many others, he has found a new sense of purpose in the village.
“We have more elders in the village now. To beat loneliness, we even have our meals together. Soon, we will have a park too,” Ramesh said, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of a new space for recreation.
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The park, which is currently under construction, is another initiative aimed at bringing the community closer. It will be a place where the elderly can gather, exercise, and engage in light-hearted conversations. The villagers hope that it will become a hub of activity, a place that breathes life into their small, ageing community.
In Chandanki, life may have slowed down, but it has not stopped. The village continues to move forward, one meal, one conversation and one day at a time.
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The lead image on top shows a group of elderly women gathered at Chandanki village in Mehsana district of Gujarat. (Photo by Akansha Deshmukh)
Akansha Deshmukh is an independent investigative journalist with a rich background in uncovering the intricacies of crime, scams, corruption, and political affairs.
