Constipation is one of the most common problems among the elderly due to restricted movement. So physical activity is a must as it stimulates bowel movement. Also ensure you consume vegetables, fibre-rich food and adequate water,” said gastroenterologist Sudipta Ghosh at Rabindra Okakura Bhavan.
He was speaking at the 15th annual day of HA Block-based Paritosh Sen Memorial Elderly Care Society.
Ghosh also warned against ignoring symptoms like bleeding, unexplained weight loss and declining physical strength. “Fatty liver is another common complain in this age group. Liver transplants were once required largely due to alcoholic liver disease and Hepatitis B, but now the incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has increased dramatically and the two are almost comparable,” said Ghosh.
“So stay alert about fat accumulation in the liver. Control diabetes and walk regularly. If a person can reduce body weight by even 10 per cent, liver health improves considerably. Vaccination plays a role in preventing further liver damage too,” he said.
The event also felicitated oncologist P.N. Mahapatra, pulmonologist Sumit Sengupta, Khetra Madhab Das, specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation and the society’s president Asit De. The doctors addressed the audience on healthy ageing and wellness.
Dr Das dispelled the myth that pain is a natural consequence of ageing. “Not all elderly people suffer from pain, so it cannot be termed age-related,” he said, stressing on the importance of strength training. “Strength training is important for all age groups, though the nature of exercise varies according to age and gender. Equally important is posture care — how we stand, sit and even use the wash basin. Correct posture can reduce the chances of degenerative arthritis and osteoarthritis,” he said. Since shoes bear the body’s entire weight, he also recommended the use of shock-absorbing footwear.
Secretary of the society Sharmistha Sen Das spoke about how they extend medical, social and legal support to their elderly members and keep them physically and mentally active through creative activities. “This society was formed with the ideals of my father, the late Paritosh Sen, whose passion was serving the needy,” she said.
Among cultural programmes, octogenarian Swati Sanyal sang Swarthako janam amar, accompanied by Debashish Bhattacharya on the keyboard, and Ranjit Kumar Das narrated a mystery and recited Tagore’s poem Kuor Dhare.
Samuel Rozario played Bengali songs on the mouth organ, and his wife, Barnali, presented a dance based on Bhanusingher Padabali.
Perhaps the biggest crowd-puller was the fashion show, choreographed by Ranjana Das. Kalpana Nandi of HA Block walked despite suffering from sciatica and Sharmistha Ghosh despite running a temperature. “I may not be as agile as I used to be but I regained my confidence during this walk and was so happy performing," said Amita Guha of EE Block.
Uttam Tribute
Rows filled early, and late arrivals lined the aisles. The audience was content with standing rather than missing a moment of the centenary year celebrations of film icon Uttam Kumar at Swapno Bhor.
The annual programme of Sanai, New Town’s all-men music collective, was dedicated to Uttam Kumar, whose 100th birth anniversary will be marked on September 3, 2026.
The songs were drawn from films starring the actor that had originally been sung by voices like Manna Dey, Hemanta Mukherjee and Shyamal Mitra. Goutam Dasgupta and Surajit Banerjee, both residents of Power Tower, sang Surjo dobar pala and Ami cheye cheye dekhi saradin, respectively and set the tone for the evening. Bivas Krishna Palit of Snehodiya, the senior citizens’ home next door, crooned Amar shopney dekha rajkonya from Sagarika.
Pradip Majumdar, a resident of BA Block seated in the second row, spoke of watching Uttam Kumar films in packed single-screen theatres back in the day. “People waited for hours for the tickets,” he recalled. “This evening brought back those memories.”
A few rows behind him sat Balai Ghosh, a resident of BF Block, who recalled listening to these songs late at night after returning from work, volume lowered out of courtesy to sleeping households. “Being a member of Swapno Bhor, I attend almost all the cultural events that take place here,” he said.
The show moved forward with numbers like Ami kon pothey je choli and Ogo kajol noyona horini.
Sanai was formed in 2020 after a proposal by the then Hidco head Debashis Sen, addressing the visible absence of a male music group in a township where women’s ensembles already existed. Today, the group comprises 18 members, most of them senior citizens, drawn from across the township with a strong core base in Snehodiya. Mentored by musician Sudev Chattopadhyay, Sanai meets every Saturday at Snehodiya.
Karate as shield
The day the media reports that several criminals landed in hospital after attacking a girl who fought back, society will begin to change,” said martial arts trainer Premjit Sen at a self-defence workshop for all at BD Park.
Sen, president of the Karate-Do Association of Bengal, demonstrated some moves and motivated the audience to take up karate as a means to empower themselves. Around 150 participants, ranging in age from five to 79 years, attended the session, which was an initiative by Sujit Bose, then MLA and minister, and Ratna Bhaumik, then councillor, in collaboration with Sen, a resident of BD Block. “Many children and their guardians spend most of their time on phones, but such outdoor activities are important for their physical fitness and mental growth,” Bhaumik said.
Sen showed how to respond to physical attacks. “Punch the offender on the nose with inner power,” he said. “Use your elbow as a tool,” he said, showing a move that he jokingly called the “kapor kacha” (washing clothes) technique. Using a volunteer, he showed how leverage and body positioning can be used to lift and bring down a bigger attacker.
Among the oldest participants was 79-year-old Nivedita Mukherjee of BD Block. “Self-defence is necessary for everyone. It also keeps us physically fit. Since this programme was happening in our block, I wanted to experience it myself,” she said.
There were also demonstrations by students like Debanjali Karmakar, a nine-time national medalist. Swati Agarwal, another student, shared a personal experience with a man who touched her inappropriately. “I punched him repeatedly and knocked him to the ground. He begged for forgiveness,” she said.
By and for seniors
Salt Lake Senior Citizens’ Association marked its 28th anniversary with a cultural programme at Rabindra Okakura Bhavan and among those most eager to ensure the event began on time was the group’s secretary, Anuradha Chaudhuri.
“I have a train to catch after the show, so I’m in a hurry,” she laughed. The 73-year-old was headed to Sandakphu for trekking and birdwatching. “This is the message we want to share — to stay engaged with your hobbies as age is just a number. If you pursue an interest, you will find like-minded people and make friends,” she said.
The show began shortly afterwards with an opening chorus featuring Aloker ei jhorna dharay and Chalo jai, followed by the release of a souvenir with articles written by members.
Working president Nandadulal Dutta, 83, recalled the group’s early days. “When we started meeting for walks and adda at BA-CA Park in 1990, the area was full of jungle and jackals. We cleared the space and created seats for ourselves. In ’98, we established our group formally. The idea was not only to walk but also to dedicate certain days to poetry, music and intellectual discussions. That tradition continues today,” said Dutta, who also recited a self-composed poem on staying cheerful.
Swati Sanyal of Vidyasagar Niketan presented Rabindrasangeet numbers such as Eki labanye purno pran and Tobu mone rekho. “I have been learning classical music since I was five. I was fortunate to train under Suchitra Mitra and Maya Sen,” she said after her performance.
The group felicitates members who cross the age of 80 and this year, the honour went to Sachindra Nath De, who became an octogenarian in January. De, who also serves as the group’s treasurer, later sang too.
The show was anchored by Bijan Ghosh of BC Block, who recited a self-composed piece in panchali-style. The poem revolved around an elderly couple lamenting their loneliness until Narad Muni appears and advises them to take walks, practise yoga and pranayam, and join laughter therapy sessions.
Rabindrasangeet researcher Debashis Dutta entertained all with songs and anecdotes, such as how singer-composer Pankaj Kumar Mullick got the bard’s permission to use his poem Diner sheshe ghumer deshe in the film Mukti only after explaining the film’s story line to him. Later, when one word wasn’t fitting the metre, with the poet’s consent, ‘chokher joley’ was changed to ‘ashru’,” he said. “Tagore also suggested renaming the film from Kheya to Mukti and when it was released, the song became an instant hit.”