RIGHT TO DIGNITY: ELDERLY ABUSE IN ERA OF SOCIAL PROGRESS AND URBANISATION

INTRODUCTION “Na supratikaram tattu maatraa pitraa cha yatkrutam” the famous shlok is being quoted by Valmiki in the Indian epic ‘Ramayana’. In these words, Rama says it to Vasishtha, who accompanies Bharata to the forests for bringing back Rama to Ayodhya, which means, it is impossible for children to repay the debt of what the parents have done to bring them up. The beautiful lines depict the Indian culture where children have the esteem regards for their parents and the thought of ‘matrdevo bhaavh’ and ‘pitradevo bhaavh’ is imbedded in their minds. India has been a country where respecting elders has been of utmost importance. Families in India have been tied up with the unseen bonds, interdependence and concordance amongst different generations. But India is urbanizing now! And with this urbanization and westernization, the socio culture and value system is slowly and gradually being eroded.