ASSAM: A real friend is one who stands by you even at death, so the saying goes. Selfless, a real friend brings joy without a care for their own interests. Our protagonist Ananda, for nearly four decades now, has been living up to his name, imparting relief and rare comfort to lives of helpless individuals in their most desolate times; arranging funds and resources to cremate the dead ensuring they get a respectable departure and providing solace to their mourning families.
Ananda’s mission to light up the lives of despairing folk began when he was little over ten years of age, as he collected funds for a poor neighbour woman who was struggling to perform the last rites of her husband.
“Something shifted within me when a neighbour who ran a barber shop passed away. He was survived by his wife and two kids; yet the family had no money to perform the ‘shradh’. Despite being a child, I wanted to do something. I collected five or ten paisa coins from people and collected Rs 69 for the family. It was a sufficient amount for a poor family in those days,” says Ananda Saha (48), a contractual employee of National Health Mission in Assam.
Native of a non-descript Lengtisinga village in lower Assam’s Bongaigaon district, Ananda has been cremating the dead since he was 13. He says he has been involved in the cremation of 145 people so far.
His efforts have significantly changed the mindset of some of his friends, who now take it upon themselves to aid those unable to cremate their kin, considering it a service toward society at large.
“I come from a backward, remote place where people struggle to earn a livelihood. They struggle to arrange money to respectfully cremate their dead. And people have grown distant; we hardly care for our relatives, let alone neighbours. In this fast-paced world, our love for the fellow human beings has diminished. We don’t bother if someone is suffering. This is the harsh reality,” Ananda says.
He also arranges funds for poor families when their daughters get married or struggle for treatment. People support him wholeheartedly knowing his selfless endeavours.
“Most families in our area face serious financial difficulties during the weddings of their daughters or during medical treatment. Some of my friends and I together gather funds from public. Not many people turn us down. I contribute myself too, whatever I can,” Ananda says.
Locals say during the Covid-19 pandemic, Ananda tried to help the poor by providing at least 50 of them with essentials like rice, lentil, mustard oil etc. Besides, every Durga puja, he invites the poor and elderly women, gifting them new clothes and offering food.
“I grew up poor. I saw my father, a petty trader, slog to run the family of five. Now, when I do something for the poor, no matter how small it is, I get peace of mind. My family too supports me in my endeavour. I will keep extending such services as long as I can,” says Ananda, a graduate.
A local trader Raja Saha says on many occasions Ananda chose to remain anonymous when he helped people with cash or kind. “We have known each other for the past 12 years. He is a die-hard social worker. Everybody loves him in our area. He is not rich but he has a big heart,” says Raja.