At 11, Nagabai caught leprosy leading to her being forced onto the streets of India. At this stage, her condition was already defined by the early signs of the disease – light coloured, insensitive patches on the skin. No one would have guessed this child had the dreaded “Maharogi”, that is the mother of all diseases, making her vulnerable to abuse on the streets.

Yet, it was at the notorious Gangabai Ghat, a place where addicts, criminals and outcasts lived, that she encountered warmth and protection, and later compassion, when leprosy caused significant nerve damage and deformity. Nagabai was unapologetic for begging. With such deformity, what other means of earning did she have?

The co-founders of Women in Need (W.I.N.) Leah Pattison M.B.E. and Usha Patil, met Nagabai in 2000 at Gangabai Ghat when W.I.N. was a leprosy charity initially called START. Gangabai was also close to one of Nagpur’s largest “Ghats” or crematoriums. For the last 14 years, the Grand Commandery of the Castello (GCC), a jurisdiction of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem based in Torri Lanzun, Mensija, San Gwann, has been supporting W.I.N., a UK-registered charity committed to improve the lives of underprivileged women and children in India, including those suffering from leprosy.

Usha’s mother had expressed concern when Leah and Usha announced plans to help leprosy patients living there. Yet, on arrival at Gangabai, their own reservations were quickly eased as residents brought plastic chairs on which to rest and offered tea, while shouts for “Nagabai” ensued.

A woman who clearly commanded affection and respect came bustling forward with tremendous energy. Leah recounts that Nagabai had the typical features of someone ravaged by leprosy. Facial nerve damage gave her an unusual permanent grin, while her weeping eyes were the result of paralysed eyelids.

“Nagabai’s hands were fingerless and gnarled and her feet bandaged. One could be forgiven for feeling repelled by her appearance, yet the moment Nagabai spoke you were struck by a remarkable warmth, intelligence, and joy – very much at odds with her traumatic past.

She had invested the coins collected over many years of sitting outside the ghat, exposed to extreme summer heat and monsoon rains, to afford her dream of building a single roomed brick house to replace the stick hut she lived in most of her life,” said Leah.

There is far too much colourful detail which sadly cannot be relayed publicly. One day, Nagabai’s story, and that of all the other inspirational women encountered by Leah and Usha, will be documented.

“For now, we pay a simple tribute to this remarkable tenacious woman who recently died of COVID. Those of us who had the privilege of knowing Nagabai will continue to delight in our wonderful memories, remembering especially her infectious laughter,” explained Leah Pattison.

Over the years funds raised by the Grand Commandery have benefited leprosy sufferers, such as Nagabai, in several ways.
Leah says: “ The vehicles donated by the G.C.C., for example, provide safe transport for women with socially taboo diseases such as leprosy and HIV. When W.I.N. established a shelter for homeless women in the heart of India’s first leprosy colony Dattapur, the Grand Commandery of the Castello funded equipment for a small nursing ward primarily for elderly leprosy patients unable to care for themselves. This was further enhanced with funding for a garden for the residents to enjoy. Considering that most of the elderly women we nursed had suffered from leprosy and experienced years of being ostracised even by their respective families, and left to exist in severe states of neglect, these facilities provided sanctuary and dignity in the last days, weeks or months of their lives.
More recently, during the pandemic, the Grand Commandery provided support for vaccines, medicines and food for these underprivileged women and children being taken care of by W.I.N.

For more information about the mission and activities of the Grand Commandery of the Castello, one may call 9942 7457 or make contact via: info@grandcommanderymalta.org