Report by Michael Rodrigues
Team Mangalorean Udupi
 
Udupi: 'Vishwasada Mane' (Trusted House) is a home which looks after the mentally retarded people, who leave their homes and wander on the streets. Such people are brought to this  house and treated mostly for their illness.

This a story of  four youth who were depressed in life and left their homes without knowing where they will land. To start with,  Palani Swamy aged 29 years from Amchigar, Changal Pattana from Tamil Nadu, who was found on the Highway four years ago by Vishwasada Mane representatives and was brought to the house.  He has been treated for his illness through the House and has recovered fully. He is eager to meet his parents who are working in a match box production company in Tamilnadu.

Prabhakar Reddy who hails from Kolar who was depressed in life, left his house two years ago without informing his family members. He was spotted by the representatives of the Mane in Permude and was taken to the house. He has also recovered fully and is now waiting to reunite with his wife Sharadamma and his two year old son Bhaskar. Reddy's family members are residing in Kolar.

Chinna Ponnaras from Valathoor district in Andhra Pradesh, was found near Katapady Petrol pump in a state of depression. He too was brought to the house by the volunteers of the' Mane' and treated. His parents Balan and Murgamma are into agriculture, Chinna will be joining his parents soon.

Lal Raj (32 yrs) from Ramanayak, Bangalore having studied up to PUC, went into depression and started roaming the streets. He was spotted near Udyavar NH by the staff of the ' Mane' house who took him under their care. He has recovered fully after treatment. He is also eagerly waiting to reunite with his family members. Raj is the youngest son of retired police constable in Anekal police station, Hanumanaik, and his wife Gopi Bai. Lal Raj has 7 brothers, 2 sisters.

So far more than hundred people have been rehabilitated and sent to their respective homes, said the president of the Vishwasada Mane, Pastor Sunil. The ‘Vishwasada Mane’ started in 2004, has the gained the love and affection from most of the people for their relentless service. All the people who have been brought to the house will be treated like their own family members. According to the records so far most of the depressed and destitute who were taken to the home were found in and around Mangalore are from Bihar, Orissa, Varanasi, Mumbai, Pune, Delhi and West Bengal.

This rehabilitation home never collects money from anyone. There is no any help from the government towards this house, other than Lions club and Rotary club who lend their helping hand by providing physicians to treat the inmates.

Vishwasada Mane has one more home for the aged and one for the disabled, and every month the expenses reaches to Rs 3 lakhs. Sunil said the government should focus on such work and try to sanction funds towards the house.