This 81-year-old is the antithesis to the image of an abandoned old woman; she is ever smiling and never ready to criticize anyone from her family. When her son died four years ago, Ammal decided not to be a burden on her daughter-in-law.

"She is working and a widow. I should not trouble her," said Ammal, who also has a daughter. "She has her in-laws staying with her, and she has her own problems. Why should I trouble her?"

One of her granddaughters is studying in the United States. "She is good at studies and has taken a loan and gone. That itself is a burden on my daughter-in-law. My daughter-in-law and my younger granddaughter come and see me occasionally. They tell me all the news. I have all my relatives in Chennai but I do not want to be a burden on anyone. There is a wedding in our family, and I want to attend it. That is the only desire I have now," said Ammal.

Life at Vishranthi is very good, she said. "I spend my time praying. I do puja for everyone. I pray for the well-being of everyone. Everyone should be happy."

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