Doaba, June 13, 2004
ANI

Nirmal Singh, a father of 3 sons, with several grandchildren, lives all alone and is the solitary occupant of a 3-storey, 16 room mansion.Singh's sons live in the US and UK, where he last visited 3 years back.

The evening of his life, when he should be surrounded by the chirpy playfulness of youngsters is spent waiting for any correspondence from them.

His voice trails off as he recalls:"My children and grandchildren once lived here with me. But the house is so empty now. So is life. After they left, the first six months were a nightmare. Now after all these years, I've become used to the loneliness.I have my meals with my tenants who live nearby. Rest of the time is just spent alone or at a friend's place". It's a similar story in numerous homes in the Doaba belt of north Punjab, home to an amazing 80 percent of the non resident Indian population.

Many consider having a son working abroad as a status symbol bringing material benefits. The grandest,most opulent mansions found in the region are owned by relatives of NRIs.But a certain desolation and emptiness in the lives of the occupants is evident. This phenomenon can be attributed to economic choices and compulsions.

Krishen Kumar Sharma,executive director,NRI Sabha reasoned:"Looking at the background, Punjab is an agricultural state and land holdings in the Doaba region have been reduced. People who once owned 10 acres of land or more now have only 2 acres left. Carrying on agriculture is a problem. So people have started going abroad to work. They have invested millions of dollars into their region. They want to buy more and more land which they associate with their identity".

Pyara Singh, also a resident of the Doaba region and his wife spent some 15 years with their children in the United States before deciding to return home to Punjab Singh avers:"There is a distinct difference of cultures, in ways of life between the west and here. They can't adapt to our way of life and we cannot forego our country altogether. That is the difference. They say they can't come back home - the place is dirty, traffic is bad and congested and a number of other superficial problems. But as for us, between a foreign land and our own country, we find it better here where we were born. After all, we have our own people and friends here". Perhaps behind it all lies an innate message for all NRIs who have lonely parents back home to spare a moment and spare a thought.