CHENNAI: What are we humans than being mere puppets at the hands of death, the leveller! Our lives are irrevocably drawn to death, which at some point makes us all ask the same ol’ eerie question: ‘who would cry for us when we die?’ Who will moan the death of thousands of people who are destitute?
The query turned out to be the trigger for Khaalid Ahamed, a 27-year-old social worker from Chennai, to dedicate his life to ensuring a dignified farewell to the many unclaimed bodies in the city, even if it means holding the last rites as per the deceased person’s religion.
The journey of this youngster began in 2015, when he stumbled upon the body of a homeless man who passed away right in front of him without even taking a sip of water. The incident sparked a million emotions in Khaalid that led to the founding of a social welfare organisation by the name Uravugal Trust in 2017.
The word ‘Uravugal’ rightfully means ‘relationship’ in Tamil. The members of the trust believe that they share a special bond with the people they help, and maintain a close relationship with the police officers and hospitals in Chennai, through whom they reach out to those in need. In addition to providing dignified burials, Uravugal Trust also provides support to the homeless and destitute people who are still in the flesh and blood. Medical aid, food, and other essentials besides long-term solutions like job training and housing assistance are only a few among the welfare services provided by Uravugal Trust.
Over the years, Khaalid has had many encounters which are truly poignant and shorn of the wanted tinge of romanticism. For instance, he recollects an incident from 2019, when a couple from West Bengal lost their one-month-old baby, who had been on treatment for a heart condition at a hospital in Vellore. “They were returning home and ready to board the train when the baby fell sick and suddenly passed away in the absence of medical help. Uravugal stepped in to help the parents give their children a proper burial. I remember a mother, with tears brimming in her eyes, squeezing her last few drops of breast milk into her baby’s mouth as a final ritual. That was indeed the most painful sight ever I have witnessed in my life,” he recounts.
Commenting on how death doesn’t discriminate between the rich and the poor, Khaalid and his team of 500 volunteers are now committed to ensuring that every person, regardless of their background or financial status, receives a respectful burial. During the lockdown, they even provided support, medical care and ambulance services to homeless patients free of cost.
Johnson, a devoted member of the Trust, speaks with unwavering conviction about the meaningful work they have accomplished. “If I were to die this very minute, I would depart with the solace of knowing that we, as a team, have given dignified burials to over 7,500 unclaimed bodies over the past six years, of which around 1,780 bodies belonged to victims of Covid-19,” he says.
While the trust has gained many laurels for its vital services during the pandemic, it faced many criticisms and opposition, especially for its decision to cremate dead bodies than burn them.
“Though we were functional even before the onset of the pandemic, the trust proved its real worth during the pandemic. While most people were understandably scared, our team fearlessly stepped forward to provide dignified burials for those who lost lives to the deadly virus” says Khaalid.
The cogs in the wheel are the female volunteers of Uravugal Trust, who have shattered stereotypes such as women should be denied entry to graveyards. Divya Sri, a volunteer, says she has handled over 550 unclaimed bodies and adds that volunteering for the Trust has given her a deeper perspective on life. “I have volunteered for several other organisations with different objectives, but none compares to the work I do with the Trust,” she says.
Uravugal Trust relies solely on donations and is often in debt, says Khaalid. But this doesn’t stop him from serving his extended purpose of spreading awareness about suicide prevention and the importance of cherishing life. Though based in Chennai, Uravugal never fails to prove that they are not bound to its location when it comes to serving those in need.