Shubha Priya

Stories Seldom Told

Shubha Priya shares her opinion on death, dying and how to grow old. Shubha has previously served as a Creative Director in leading advertising agencies around the world. She is currently fulfilling her lost childhood dreams of being an author and musician. She wrote, illustrated and designed her book of satirical verses for adults, called Whimsical Brew.

When Shubha was in her teens, she heard Maurice Chevalier singing the lyrics of a song in the movie Gigi: ‘Oh I’m glad that I’m not young anymore!” Struck by the way he sang it with such conviction, she wondered how growing old could ever be joyful.

Fast forward to her 60s, Shubha moved with her mother to what most people referred to as an ‘old age home’. The stark side of ageing was visible all around her, a daily reminder of a Shakespearean vision coming true. Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. Shubha’s mother passed away in 2021. But Shubha chose to stay on at the old age home. Shubha is hoping to keep dementia at bay by learning to play the piano!

"One of the things that always struck me is it takes a village to raise a child. Right? And that's how we grew up. We had a whole neighborhood bringing us up. We could stroll into anybody's house and be fed, by some aunty or the other. And the parents didn't worry. Now to the elderly, it takes a community to transition the elder into death.You need, you know, you need all of the support of not just family in your old age. I think it needs a community. I think it needs the community of elderly who can empathise."

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