There was a unique ‘Save The Date’ post on Facebook by John Daniel, welfare standing committee chairman of the Thrissur Corporation, recently.
Bridegroom: 67-year-old Kochaniayan Menon. Bride: 66-year-old P.V. Lakshmi Ammal. Both are residents of the Government Old Age Home at Ramavarmapuram here. They will get married at the facility on December 30.
Now a flashback. G.K. Krishna Iyer, Lakshmi Ammal’s husband, died 22 years ago. He was an expert in Brahmin cuisine in Thrissur and Kochaniayan Menon from Irinjalakuda was his assistant for years. On his death bed, Iyer had asked Kochaniayan to take care of Lakshmi Ammal.
After Iyer’s death, Kochaniayan worked as a cuisine expert for many years. Lakshmi Ammal reached the old age home about a year-and-a-half ago. Kochaniayan sustained a paralytic stroke around six months ago.
An NGO in Wayanad gave him shelter. When he returned to the Wayanad old-age home after treatment, he told NGO workers about Lakshmi Ammal and expressed his interest to meet her.
Kochaniayan, whose one leg and a hand were paralysed in the stroke, was brought to the old-age home here two months ago. Lakshmi Ammal took care of him.
Mutual support
During interaction with the residents, Mr. Daniel came to know about Menon and Ammal and realised that they wanted to live together and support each other.
“It was a coincidence that at a meeting on August 30, Biju Prabhakar, Special Secretary of Social Justice, directed the superintendent of the old-age home to facilitate opportunity for legal marriage of the residents, if they are interested,” said V.G. Jayakumar, superintendent of the old-age home.
The Social Justice Department has issued a guideline to ensure a few rooms in old-age homes for legally married couples to stay together.
Initially, Kochaniayan and Lakshmi Ammal were hesitant to get married, Mr. Jayakumar said.
“He had supported me when I was alone after the death of my husband. I think it is my duty to support him in this needy time,” said Lakshmi Ammal.
The residents of the home and authorities are busy preparing for the wedding.
