Old Home Near the Himalayas

Sadman Tasin :
Nepal is a third world country in the Asia. After the 2015 earthquake, the country is trying to overcome the effect and developing gradually with time. The country is famous for the Himalayas, temples and the birth place of Buddha. It is landlocked and the terrain is rough due to hilly landscapes. But near the Himalayas there is a village called Lapsiphedi which is near Kathmandu valley with an old home which is made with different concept. The old home is called the “Maitri Sewasharam” or Maitri Senior
Citizen Ashram. The old home is made by J.P. foundation. The ashram is situated about 1800 meters above the sea level and from there if someone hike the hill then the peak of the mount Everest can be seen. The old home is based on a different concept, here the appearance is not like a stereotypical old home where there will be a huge room and old people will be living or more than one people living in a room. It looks more like a holiday destination and there every senior citizen receives a cottage type house with a bedroom, kitchen, living and washroom facility. The concept of the ashram is different because if anyone wants to stay there or anyone who chooses this place for their parents, then the rule is to stay there for a few days to feel the environment. After that the consent of that person is needed who is going to stay and it has to be willing if it’s not willing or forced then the ashram will not accept that person. There is a fee to stay there but there are some people who are not able to pay are there for free. There is a pathological lab and medical center, with doctor facility of 24×7. They have natural healing program and yoga sessions for the people there. The dinning place is not like typical dinning it’s an open place where people can enjoy the scenes and enjoy the meals. There are facility of indoor games and library for the entertainment. The ashram has satellite television connection. The food served there is farm fresh, they have the farm to table concept. Some lands near the ashram are owned by the J.P. foundation where they are operating an agro project and from there the food products get supplied. There is a cowshed near the ashram where the dairy products are sourced, the leftovers of foods are use as fodders of the cows and the rest recyclable wastes are recycled. Zero waste concepts works in this ashram, the cattle wastes are used as fertilizers. To keep the senior citizens active the responsibility of some works of the ashram like inspection of meal or inspection the gardeners etc. shift in between the senior citizens. Then there is a magazine of the ashram where the residents write in it. The ashram is served as a picnic destination for that the fund to operate the ashram is managed easily and the people there have some opportunity to meet people and get more time to spend with others. Later, this beautiful hilly area will be developed as Spiritual Health Tourism Hub for eco-friendly spiritual retired life for the senior citizens, visiting scholars, research fellows, and spiritual leaders and alike.