GUWAHATI: They say age is just a number when it comes to love and marriage. Young love has bloomed at an old age home in Guwahati. The cupid’s arrow struck Jaya Prabha Bora (65) after she was mesmerised by the voice of Padmeswar Goala (71) who belts Bihu and Hindi songs.
The two, who never married before, met each other at the Pramod Talukdar Memorial Old Age Home in the city’s Beltola area and will tie the nuptial knot on January 24 next year. It has already generated a lot of excitement among fellow inmates.
“Love is blind to age or wealth,” said Goala with excitement written on his face.
He fondly calls her “Jan” and she calls him “Babu”. In a viral video, the woman can be heard saying “I love you Babu” and he responds by saying “I love you too Jan”.
Goala, who hails from Bokakhat in Golaghat district, has been living at the home for the past eight months. Jaya Prabha, a native of Tezpur in Sonitpur district, arrived a year ago.
“Grandpa grew up at the houses of others by working as a domestic help. He has no family members. A man, at whose house he worked, contacted us and brought him here. Granny had two brothers but both expired. She was brought by a relative as per her wish,” said Utpal Harshavardhan, secretary of the old age home.
According to him, she fell in love with Goala after listening to the renditions of the septuagenarian. He said another factor that took her closer to the man was his care for her.
“While he was young, he had an affair with a girl but she married another person. He is excited that he is finally getting married. Granny is also eagerly waiting. Her dream to get married is getting fulfilled,” Harshavardhan said.
The wedding will be solemnised at “Matri Niwas” (Mothers’ Home) in the city’s Mathgharia locality where the woman was moved recently. The two homes are run by an NGO “Monalisha Society”.
“Both will live at the Pramod Talukdar Memorial Old Age Home following marriage. We have provided a room for him. He has decked it up with old curtains but we will provide him with newer ones,” Harshavardhan said.
“Some of our well-wishers said they would provide rice, lentil etc for the wedding. We will be happy if the state government and others do their bit,” he added.