Madurai :

When G Mariammal, 60, hoisted the Tricolour on Friday, it was one of the most unforgettable moments in her life. Tears rolled down the eyes of Mariammal, the only woman undertaker in the district after hoisting the flag at the Sellur night shelter, even as she was surrounded by a group of people.

Thanks to the efforts of social workers and members of Padikattugal, a youth volunteer forum, Mariammal was bestowed with the honour of hoisting the Tricolour. “I have never participated in a flag-hoisting ceremony before and I used to watch it from a distance when I was a child. I never imagined that I will touch the Tricolour with my hands and hoist it,” said Mariammal, an undertaker at the Pasumalai crematorium.

The occasion also fulfilled a distant dream of 52 destitutes of the corporation night shelter at Sellur as they were provided with sweets and gifts. Two of the staff, Sundara Vadivu and Shanmugam, were honoured by the volunteers for serving the poor with dedication. The youth forum members mobilized funds through social networking sites and bought rice bags, sweets, clothes and two plastic water drums for night shelter.

Children homes, orphanages and old age homes were provided rice and provisions during the event.

Moved by the gesture of youngsters, one of the inmates, G Murugesan announced his wish to donate his organs after his death.

V P Sundara Subramanian, a city-based social worker said they did not expect this from the elderly man. “We will get him the necessary forms and help him out with the documentation work,” he said. M Kishore, who led Padikattugal volunteers said they wanted to celebrate Independence Day with the less privileged people. “We mobilized money and resources through social networking sites and our volunteers contributed generously. With success of this programme, we are planning a massive Diwali celebration for members of children and old age homes,” he said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / S. Lenin, TNN / August 16th, 2014