|
In the thirties the Madras Presidency comprised
of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala
was the largest Presidency in India. At that time
there was only one Home for children in the Presidency,
apart from the Christian Missions, the "Varadarajulu
Certified Home for delinquent children".
All children, whether innocent or vagrant were
admitted into the home, only on certification
by the police that they were delinquents.
Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy, a frequent visitor
to the Home, saw that may orphans, guideless and
innocent, were mixed up with the delinquents.
This she felt was a cruel and unjust dispensation.
Despite the slender finances, she took the only
decision that fearless women like her would take.
Thus the "Avvai Home" became
the "Avvai Home and Orphanage".
In 1940 the Japanese invaded Burma. While
the Europeans were evacuated using ships, the
Indians, mainly Tamil laborers, were left to their
fate. In panic the Indians fled towards home,
by road. Men, women and children walked through
the pathless jungles of Burma and the North East.
Many fell victims to malignant Malaria, Burmese
and Naga tribesmen, but thousands reached Imphal,
sick and weary, but alive.
|
|
Many had relatives and were sent to them from
the refugee camps, but about a hundred Tamil children
and a few women who had lost their families on
the "Black Road" were stranded.
Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy received an S.O.S
from the British camp authorities at Imphal and
she readily accepted the children and women. The
Avvai Home had become something more than an orphanage,
it had transformed into an universal refuge"
for all helpless children and women.
The Avvai Home and Orphanage was the only such
institution in the Presidency prior to Independence.
The Home would receive telegrams from hospitals
all over the Presidency asking for help with newborn
babies deserted by their mothers, and the Home
accepted them automatically. Many unmarried mothers
of all classes would seek refuge at the Home and
it was given to them without question. Dr.
Muthulakshmi Reddy would always try to trace
the father and try to arrange a marriage. If that
failed, the only condition to admission was that
the mother should breast feed the child for three
months, learn a profession and support the child.
No one ever was declined protection and help.
|
