Written by Nayonika Bose and Ira Tiwari A source of solace to leprosy patients who were banished from cities due to stigma associated with their condition in the late 1800s, four colonial-era religious structures have been restored at Wadala’s Acworth Municipal General Hospital by the Heritage Cell of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). While the renovation of the temple, mosque and church — cared for by patients since their construction nearly a century ago — are nearly complete, the refurbishment of the Vipassana complex is in its final stages. The other recipients of this Rs 3-crore facelift include the country’s only leprosy museum and a bungalow, complete with a garage and staff quarters, that was used to house the resident doctor. Both buildings, an important part of the hospital's history, lie on its sprawling 19-acre compound. Speaking to The Indian Express, Pankaj Kathole, the conservation architect on the project, said, “First, we carried out a visual inspection. That was followed by structural analysis to ensure the structures could be revived without tampering with the original materials. After that, we carried out the restoration, which included replacing damaged bricks.” Established in 1995, the BMC's Heritage Cell carries out restoration of old civic body properties that are a part of its heritage list, created in 1996. The hospital's religious structures have been classified as Grade-II B heritage buildings. Classification of heritage structures is done by a panel of conservation architects, professors and civic officials based on various parameters like a structure's age, relevance, material used, significance to the city's culture, etc. The civic body, which pays for these restorations, appoints a contractor to carry out repairs and a conservation architect to inspect the restoration work. Renovations at the hospital started last year and the religious structures were fixed in just eight months. Their refurbishment involved the use of lime mortar, brick powder, repairs to the wooden roofs and use of Mangalorean tiles. Talking about the temple, Kathole said the gable was repaired and a new sabha mandap built for patients to hold kirtans (gatherings where devotional songs are sung). “The roof of the mosque was damaged beyond repair. We replaced it and also fixed the walls," he said. Church renovations involved repairing exposed bricks using lime plaster, fixing pews and replacing Mangalorean tiles. The wooden roofs of the church, the doctor's bungalow and the museum were extremely dilapidated. Many parts of these roofs were either replaced or repaired. The BMC also restored the Acworth Leprosy Museum. Home to panels documenting the early history of leprosy, it honours the contributions by Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave and Ramachandra Vitthal Lad, affectionately called Bhau Daji Lad, towards eradicating this disease and fighting against the discrimination surrounding this condition. “We have submitted a proposal to beautify the garden outside the museum,” said Kathole, adding that all civil works, including plastering, plumbing, and sanitary and electrical upgrades, were carried out by a team of contractors. Life at Acworth Before it became a hospital in 1890, this Wadala compound was used as a barrack by the British army. After the military relocated to Colaba, H A Acworth, the then Municipal Commissioner of Bombay, turned it into a hospital for leprosy patients. In 1898, at a time when there was no cure for this mildly communicable condition, the British enacted the Lepers Act. Under this Act, people suffering from leprosy were banished to colonies far from cities and towns to contain the spread of the disease. Since Wadala was on the outskirts of Mumbai, the hospital's location made it an ideal sanctuary for these patients. By 1984, the hospital was treating at least 500 patients on a given day. “After the Lepers Act was abolished in 1984, it was not mandatory to confine leprosy patients to hospitals. The number of patients here reduced after that,” said Dr Amita Pednekar, the hospital dean. Talking about the significance of the religious structures for the patients, she said, “Since patients remained confined to the compound, Acworth encouraged the construction of these structures so that they could continue to practice their faith and find solace." In fact, patients still offer prayers at these structures daily. Pednekar added, “We also celebrate all festivals with fervour. Before Christmas, we paint the walls of the church. During Ganpati, we get an eco-friendly statue. Eid is also a day of celebration for us. Just recently, we celebrated Ambedkar Jayanti.” Festival celebrations are usually sponsored by donations made by individuals and groups. A patient said, “We always look forward to these celebrations.” Before the temple mandap was extended, celebrations and gatherings took place at the Alex Hague Entertainment Hall. Situated in the heart of the compound and equipped with a stage and chairs, the hall was known as Radio Hall since patients would gather there to listen to All India Radio broadcasts for entertainment. Today, all six wards of the hospital have televisions. A typical day at Acworth begins at 7 am. The residents are served tea and breakfast around 7 am, followed by lunch at 11 am and early dinner. Unlike typical hospitals, the residents use their own colourful bed sheets. Currently, 60 patients reside at Acworth. They are treated by four doctors posted at the hospital itself. The oldest patient here, lovingly called Akka, passed away a few months back. The youngest patient currently admitted to the hospital is 23-year-old. Talking about his life at Acworth, a patient said, “I maintain an active lifestyle and stay involved with the administration of the hospital. I take care of attendance and correspond with donors and organisations. I help the administration with some day-to-day operations too. I enjoy gardening. In fact, my plants are in full bloom right now. Though we have a laundry on premises, I wash my own clothes since movement is an extremely important part of our healing process.” Patients who leave Acworth after successful completion of their treatment receive a monthly pension of Rs 2,500 from the BMC. However, many patients end up staying at the hospital long after they heal due to weakness and high risk of infection. Finding gainful employment, even doing jobs like driving or waiting tables, is a challenge for these patients. Vilendra Bhalerao, community development officer, Acworth Hospital, explained, "As a waiter, a person will come in contact with hot objects. Close contact with hot objects or fire can lead to ulcers in leprosy patients. This makes it impossible for them to work in a kitchen." At one point, vocational training in carpentry was started for Acworth residents. "The programme was shut down since leprosy causes muscle weakness. That made it difficult for patients to hold objects, which is required for carpentry work," he said. Discrimination and stigma Loss of sensation in the limbs is another common issue faced by the patients. Due to weak feet and lesions, the patients need to wear special slippers made of micro cellular rubber (MCR), a type of soft rubber. The rubber is brought from Kerala and the footwear made in a workshop on the compound. Besides these health issues, the patients also battle immense discrimination. “Despite awareness, there is still a stigma attached to leprosy. Most patients are old and have been rejected by their families. Deformities remain even after they get cured and the risk of infection runs high,” said Bhalerao. He added, "One of our current residents is someone who was born here since his parents were afflicted with leprosy. He continues to live here despite his advanced age. He studied at a school that once operated on the compound. Since the average age of our patients is over 60 and we did not have any young students, the school was shut down." A patient from Haridwar who has been living at the hospital for 12 years now said, “When I first arrived here, I tried to end my life on a rail track. Over the years, the hospital has given me the will to live and lead a better life. I was taught English here. I maintain an active lifestyle and encourage the others here to do the same. I just want to pay forward the kindness this place has shown me over the years.”
