The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : First-ever ‘valakaapu’ at Madharapakkam PHC

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Tuesday, May 27, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

First-ever ‘valakaapu’ at Madharapakkam PHC

Ramya Kannan

Idea is to make primary health centre an extension of the family, says official

— Photo: S. Thanthoni

FESTIVE MOOD: Bangles being distributed to pregnant women at the Primary Health Centre at Madharapakkam.

TIRUVALLUR: In the shade of a colourful ‘pandal’ just outside the Madharapakkam primary health centre at Gummidipoondi in Tiruvallur district, a group of women wait patiently for the village health nurse.

Dressed in their best silks, the pregnant women sip frequently from cups of buttermilk or water, fanning themselves with the edge of their saris. The auspicious notes of the traditional nagaswaram and mridangam come from the same quarter as does the heady smell of fresh jasmine strands.

The nurses walk in as the auspicious hour draws nigh, dressed in silks, bearing trays of colourful bangles, flowers, cups of sandal paste and turmeric. Gently, they ease the clinking glass bangles over the wrists of their patients and hand over the gifts—a sari and blouse, fruits, and betel leaves and areca nuts. They are advised to stay for the seven-course meal to be served on large, green banana leaves.

At the first-ever ‘valakaapu,’ a ritual followed by the Hindus to bless pregnant women during the last trimester of their pregnancy, staff of the Madharapakkam PHC are working overtime to ensure everything goes well. “While PHCs in 30 blocks of the State have conducted the ritual, it is the first time for Tiruvallur district,” says P. Sampath, Deputy Director of Health Services, Tiruvallur. “We are excited that there are over 150 women in their seventh and ninth month of pregnancy. Some of them cannot afford to have this function at home,” he says.

“The idea is to make the PHC seem like an extension of the family. It is only the closest members of the family who are involved in such a ceremony. It will increase the confidence of the women and the community in the local PHC,” says P. Padmanabhan, Director of Public Health.

The funds for the function are raised from the local community, through donations. The locals also help to prepare the meal, and the community pitches in with the arrangements too.

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