Kolkata:
Next time you want a cup of tea in Kolkata, you could drop into the Pavlov Mental Hospital. 'Cha Ghor', a tea shop set up by an NGO is being run by a group of mentally challenged women. The objective is to help them recover and give them a purpose in life.
There are 240 mentally challenged women in the hospital, but only 6 are well enough to make and serve tea. It's a small step, but in the right direction.
Two months ago, making tea became an impossible task for a Class 9 student. A sudden breakdown sent her to the Pavlov Mental Hospital. She is much better now and has put her dream of becoming a doctor on hold while she relearns simpler skills.
"I don't know what happened to me. When I failed in Class 9, I didn't cry. Most students cry if they fail. But I think because I suppressed that grief, I developed a mental problem," she says.
One of the 17-year-old's best friends is a 55-year-old woman, also a Pavlov resident. Both are delighted to be part of the tea shop experiment. It has given them a new purpose in life.
"Lots of people are here and everyone is having a good time. We are serving them food and tea and making sure that they eat and drink well. We are asking them if they want anything. I am liking this," says the 55-year-old.
'Cha Ghor' or tea room is the brain child of Anjali, an NGO that has been working with Pavlov for some years. The state government has also contributed for the rehabilitation of the patients.
"They have recovered but they are socially abandoned because their families have rejected them. So our next step is to move them to assisted living spaces where they will be living by themselves," says Ratnaboli Ray, who heads the NGO.
These women will be paid at least Rs 120 per day. The idea is to mainstream them as far as possible. And 'Cha Ghor' could be a first step in that direction.