The birth of a Banyan tree

In 1919 what started as reunion place for Goans & to help them settle in the city of dreams, Mumbai, blossomed later into a cultural powerhouse. It was Goa Hindu Association. It was a place where like minded Goans & Mumbaikars gathered for cultural inspiration & stimulation. Soon, a string of success in Marathi theatre, brought artists & writers on one platform, musicians & fans in one place and ofcourse Mumbai's benevolent citizens as patrons under Kala Vibhag at Goa Hindu Association. It was an association irrespective of caste, creed, origin & religion.

An outlook for excellence & penchant for improvement of society, took Goa Hindu Association on a path of instilling projects to serve communities it was surrounded with. It was in this context that Sneha Mandir was born in 1982, conceptualised as a home for aged & senior citizens who longed for family life. Like an independent child, it was created & grown independent of Goa Hindu Association.

The roots of Sneha Mandir came from Marathi Theatre's epic Natsamrat, penned by Goa Hindu Association's patron Shri V V Shirwadker. In this drama the tragedy of an old couple who give away their lifetime savings to their two married children, a son and a daughter whom they profoundly love. They expect to spend the rest of their lives in the company of their grandchildren alternating their stay with the son and the daughter.

Things however prove to be different. The husband who in his own right was a great theatre personality in his hey days has now to live with his wife in an outhouse, unloved and uncared for, since the children with their new lifestyles have no time to spare for their parents.

While above story is a dramatised version of what can happen in today's society, it is also true that Indian society has been undergoing dramatic change. The joint family, which was foundation of Indian society is disintegrating fast & is converting into a nuclear family. With economic development & transformation from an agrarian economy to industrial & service powerhouse, there is a movement of families in search of lively hood, from villages to cities, from one city to another, from one state to another and even overseas. It is under such circumstances that younger generation has to take care of their parents. In some cases, with both husband & wife working, it is very difficult to attend to aged parents. The life becomes even more difficult when the senior citizens need help to attend to routine daily chores. Much as the younger generation may want to help their senior family members, they are unable to do so. In absence of trained care taker service, it is sometimes very difficult for senior citizens to live a dignified life. It is for this very reason, though not an ideal solution, senior citizen home has become a necessity in Indian society.

The visionary members of Goa Hindu Association realised this need & created Sneha Mandir. The purpose of Sneha Mandir is to give a dignified life to senior citizens in the dusk of their life. The endeavour is to provide them an opportunity to play “second innings” of their life in a happy & congenial environment.

Today Sneha Mandir has blossomed into a Home from Senior Citizens, Geriatric Care Centre, Home Care Nursing School, Education support & Health Care program provider.