KVD’s Mumukshu Bhawan becomes functional with arrival of first batch

Varanasi: Mumukshu Bhawan, the newly built hospice in the premises of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham, became functional on Tuesday with the arrival of the first batch of elderly persons wishing for a good death with a belief -‘Kashyam marnam muktih (dying in Kashi leads to salvation)’. It is one of the buildings of the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham (corridor) project that was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2021.
The Mumukshu Bhawan is managed by the Tara Sansthan, a Udaipur (Rajasthan) based NGO devoted to the helpless old people. “Six elderly persons, including two women, have come to stay in Mumukshu Bhawan in the last phase of their life,” said the manager KK Ameta. According to him, all the persons are of over 70 to 90 years age group, from Delhi, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.
“Earlier, they were living in the old age home of Tara Sansthan in Udaipur. When the development of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham and Mumukshu Bhawan was in progress, they had expressed their desire to move in Kashi to spend their last days of life,” said Ameta, adding that the inmates will be provided free facilities like food, healthcare and other provisions of daily use. He said, the two-floor Mumukshu Bhawan can accommodate 40 persons on first come first serve basis. Preference will be given to the older people and persons with life-threatening diseases like cancer for the stay in the hospice.
The Mumukshu Bhawan is situated at a distance of about 100 yards from the Mahashamshana (great cremation ground) of Manikarnika Ghat. It has been built at the same place, where a hospice was run earlier by Vriddha Sant Seva Ashram, exclusively for elderly Dandi Swamis wishing to die in Kashi. The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Special Area Development Board (SKVSADB) purchased the ashram at the cost of Rs 2.50 crore while developing the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham.
Kashi also has other hospices to accommodate salvation seekers, as it is a strong belief among the Hindus that dying in Kashi liberates one from the cycle of rebirth. One of them is Kashi Labh Mukti Bhawan situated in Mishirpokhara locality in Godowlia area. It has been serving since 1958 and accommodates only those who are on death bed and come to the city for ‘Kashilabh’. Another Mumukshu Bhawan is situated in Assi area, which was established in 1920. It allows elderly people, above 65 years of age to spend their last days in peace for a good death and liberation from the cycle of rebirth.