MUMBAI: Strings of prayer beads have all been locked in a cupboard, books on Jain philosophy have been bundled up, the big bhandaar or donation box which occupied the central space has gone to a corner and the pooja room has an X-ray machine. Now, beds have been rolled in, oxygen cylinders have been ordered and a pipeline for supply has been welded along the circumference of the premises.
Pawan Dham, translated as holy space, is a religious temple trust in
Kandivli (West) where Jains throng to pray and meditate. On Thursday, it will open its doors to everyone
Covid positive, irrespective of religion. The
centre is replete with its team of medical professionals, doctors, nurses and ward boys and will admit those who need non-ICU hospitalisation. Life-saving machines, portable X-ray, oxygen concentrators and defibrillators are in place.
“The time is such that every place of worship should open its doors and allow people to come in so that they get the necessary services and stay calm. Why do people donate? As they believe that temple trusts would put their monies to good use. So, at a time when people need us, we cannot step back or not act. And what is religion? Nothing more than service for humanity. Every place of worship currently needs to embrace humanity,” Jain monk Namramuniji Maharaj told this correspondent.
A team of 50 doctors, nurses and ward boys from a local hospital in Borivli will attend to the patients.
With a total of 100 beds in Kandivli, 60 in the temple at
Ghatkopar, and more at two others in Rajkot, now all efforts are on to open up temples in Junagad and Kolkata as well.
“In Rajkot, 300 oxygen cylinders have been ordered and we are delivering them to those people’s homes who are unable to get space in hospitals,” added Maharaj Sahebji. Those who are home quarantined are being supplied free food in Mumbai, Kolkata, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Ahmedabad and Baroda by Jain volunteers.
Volunteer Pradeep Mehta said, “Everything in the temple has been packed and put away. Our 50,000-sq-ft space will wake up as a hospital. Every detail from breakfast to regularly informing their families on health and passing medical reports on a daily basis, has been taken care of. The five-storey temple building is no less than a Covid hospital minus ICU beds.”