Pics: Joshwa D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network-Mangaluru (JD)
Mangaluru, Oct 25: It is often believed that only a mother can truly understand a child's feelings and feel its presence even in its absence. For the mother, who did not lose hope of her mentally challenged son for almost two years, it was truly a 'son come alive' experience when she met her son after a year and eight months in the White Doves destitute home, Bejai on Tuesday, October 25.
This is the tale of Devanna (34) and Mahadevamma from Nanjangudu, Mysuru district who had been separated 20 months ago when mentally ill Devanna left his home and family all of a sudden and was rescued by White Doves team led by Corrine Rasquinha near Jimmy's supermarket, at Kadri toll-gate, 15 months ago.
"He was mentally ill from the time he was 18. We did not know what caused it, but still tried our level best to get him cured. We consulted almost every psychiatric hospital in the state, but his state of mind stayed the same. We gave him his space everyday and every evening he returned home wherever he went. One evening, he did not come back. Besides, all our efforts to trace him failed. We visited 14 government destitute centres across the state, but all our efforts to locate him proved futile.” Mahadevamma said.
“Even my relatives began telling me that he is possibly dead and that we ought to perform his last rites. I still felt that he was safe somewhere and finally had our breakthrough when the Nanjangudu rural police informed us that Devanna was in Mangaluru. That said, my relatives were certain that we were going to see a dead body and must buy the earthen pots to perform the last rites. But now, on the contrary, due to the care given by White Doves, he has been cured of his mental illness. It's nice to see him safe and sound. White Doves have given a new life to my son, and I will always be indebted to them. May God bless them abundantly." Mahadevamma added.
Devanna, second of Mahadevamma's three children, has an elder sister and a younger brother.
Devanna was not informed about his mother and uncle Puttaswamy’s arrival. All he knew was that he had to go home, which he stubbornly refused. But when he saw his mother, he jumped in excitement and went to hug her. He identified every person in the photograph shown to him and enquired about his friends and other relatives. And at last, when he saw his teenage picture, he had a smile on his face. He also tried to console his mother who was in tears.
"When we rescued Devanna from Kadri toll gate, he looked very shabby with clothes torn apart and was bare-chested. It has been one year three months since then, and no one knows where he was for the other five months. The only details he remembered when we brought him, was his mother's name, his native place, Nanjangudu, and the name of a temple near his house. Through this, we contacted many police stations and were ultimately able to locate his family. Thankfully, his family had registered an FIR in Nanjangudu rural police station." said Corrine Rasquinha.
"Now about 134 inmates have been given shelter in the White Doves home. So far, we have successfully united 87 inmates with their families hailing from Nepal, Bangladesh, Gujarat, Punjab, etc. This week, we will unite four inmates with their family - Gopal from Arwa, Ahmed from Mudigere, Ganesh PM from Madikeri and Uma from Hassan. Every day we get calls for the rescue." Corrine added.
White Doves team member Jerald D'souza was present along with other inmates, who seemed tearful while bidding farewell to their mate.
The comforted mother later promised Corrine to take care of her besides proving regular medication and left for home with him.
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