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LIVING: POST-RETIREMENT
Sunset Interlude
The prospect of a tranquil life near the Ganga is
drawing ever more elderly settlers to Hardwar and Rishikesh
By Shuchi Sinha
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Residents of Aradhana Sthal Apartments, Rishikesh,
share a moment of peaceful reflection at the ghat before afternoon
satsang. They feel that "Time tends
to hang heavy after retirement. But here we have so much to do
that it simply flies".
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A dusty, narrow
high-way wends interminably through teeming chaos (trucks, handcarts and
every conceivable thing on wheels) before you are rewarded with a shimmering
expanse of tranquil waters: the Ganga emerging from its last rapids in
the Shivalik Hills. The road to Hardwar is pretty bumpy, whether the journey
is merely of the body or that of the soul. As centres of pilgrimage, Hardwar
(literally meaning "gateway to God's abode") and nearby Rishikesh
have always been thronged by those who have done their life's work-made
their fortune, raised their children and are left with more memories than
goals. For when the mind is fatigued by decades of work and the heart
a little worn from seeing children and relatives steadily becoming too
busy to give company, the Ganga beckons. Tirths or pilgrimages by the
waters which touch every aspect of the average Hindu's life (from birth
ceremonies to obsequies) become an inviting prospect. But of late, the
pilgrim has metamorphosed into the settler.
Unlike Varanasi, the spiritual environs of Hardwar
have not been overrun by humanity. So an increasing number of elderly
people is investing in property in the Hardwar-Rishikesh stretch. Till
a mere five years ago it was as difficult spotting apartment blocks here
as spotting tigers in the nearby Rajaji National Park. Temples, ashrams
and hotels dominated the skyline. But all that began changing rapidly
and today it is estimated that there are no less than 200 apartment blocks
in the area with many more still being constructed. With competition hotting
up between builders, most apartments come fully furnished. Many complexes
offer thoughtful little touches like a temple within the compound and
transportation to the ghats in time for morning satsangs (prayer meetings)
and evening arti.
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Pramod And Adarsh Dosaj at their Naturoville bungalow on
the outskirts of Hardwar. Says Adarsh: "We
miss some basic amenities yet we are happy. Despite being alone
we're not lonely as there are like-minded people all around."
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Ashok Agarwal, managing director of Aradhana
Builders (Rishikesh) remembers a time not long ago when he was considered
foolish for entering the apartments business. In 1993-94 when he began
Aradhana Sthal, the first of his many apartments, there were few serious
players but the trend caught on soon after. In 1998 when vast numbers
of people attended the Kumbh Mela, many elders decided to spend the rest
of their lives there. According to him, "Many older people have long
nursed a dream of owning a house on the Ganga; it's three things they
want: the river, closeness to nature and satsang. This place is ideal
for them and they can find many others like themselves to interact with."
Freehold cottages in varying levels of utility or luxury are also beginning
to dot the landscape. As Shehzad Ahmed, managing director, Shivalik Ganga
Estates (Hardwar) says, "Pensioners tired of big cities like to move
here. Living costs are low even though you can get all the facilities
of an urban centre". Shivalik Ganga offers a standard 300 sq yard
plot with a two-bedroom house for about Rs 6 lakh. The firm has used its
irresistible tagline "Peace Unlimited. Plots Limited" to sell
over 150 freehold plots in the past year alone. Property prices in the
area have gone up by up to 25 per cent for flats and 50 per cent for individual
houses and plots in that time. Of course, location can make all the difference-the
closer you get to the Ganga, the more prices skyrocket. An apartment on
the river front that sold for Rs 12 lakh four years ago is now going for
as much as Rs 25 lakh.
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