Why Must One Live Alone in Old Age — The Story of Nirmal Villa

✍️ Dr Prodyut Acharya | 📅 25 September 2026 | ⏱️ 8 min

"True happiness lies not in wealth, nor in the fulfilment of desires — but in the presence of love, which is the ultimate truth of human life."

Beside the village market stands an old yet beautiful two-storey house. A large iron gate outside, with a nameplate on it — "Nirmal Villa". At first glance it seems aristocratic, beautiful. Yet as you come closer you realise the lack of care. Creepers have climbed up the walls to the top, and thorny bushes have sprung up in the corners of the courtyard.

Like the house, the man too is decorated on the outside, while the inside is slowly decaying.

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In this house live an elderly couple — Satya Dhar Mitra and his wife. Hearing their story you may not be startled — because this story is in every home of today's Bengal. A successful father, children abroad, a beautiful house — and deep loneliness within.

The Identity of Nirmal Villa

Satya Dhar Mitra was an officer in a multinational company in Maharashtra. For long twenty-seven years. Just two years after marriage, due to some family problems, his wife went to Maharashtra with their seven-month-old infant son. Left behind in the village were his elderly parents and younger uncle.

As a person he was dutiful. Managing the expenses of his wife and child, he regularly sent money to the village. For his father's treatment, for the needs of the family — he never stepped back. That sent money and his younger uncle's savings together built this house — Nirmal Villa, in the name of his only son.

Once a week a market sits in front of this house. Taking advantage of that, Satya Kaka ran a tea shop for some days. I too, after finishing my shopping, would often go to that shop. Gradually acquaintance turned into friendship. Now he no longer runs the shop — his body no longer responds as before.

A Successful Son, An Empty House

His son Nirmal — after whom this house is named — studied in a reputed English school in Maharashtra, became an engineer, and today works in a big company in Arabia. He married a foreign woman and took citizenship there. Every year or two he comes, stays a few days.

Some days ago Satya Kaka's wife's health became very bad, and she had to be admitted to a nursing home. A few young neighbours took her forward. Nirmal sent two lakh rupees from abroad.

I asked — "Could Nirmal not come?"

"No. He had no leave."

He said nothing more. But what was in that not-saying — cannot be measured by any measure of money.

Money had come. The son had not.

The Words He Cannot Say

One day, after the market crowd had thinned, the two of us sat. Satya Kaka suddenly said —

"Father died, I was in Maharashtra then. The younger uncle performed the last rites."

He paused a little. In that silence I could feel the weight that was there.

A few days later I went again. He said —

"Perhaps mother wanted to say something in her last moments. Perhaps father wanted to hold my hand in his last moment. I was not beside them."

But judging deeply, one understands — he is speaking of his parents, but actually speaking of his own future. Speaking of his own final moments.

Will the son be able to come?

When Power Is Gone, Who Remains?

Once there was power in his office. More than a hundred employees. Decisions, plans, annual budgets — everything passed through his hands. His presence had a weight.

After retirement, where did that weight go?

He had opened a tea shop to fill the emptiness. Running the shop, the expense was more than the income. Yet he fed people, gave on credit — only to get companions for conversation.

Even though thousands of people move about in the market crowd, no one can fill his own inner loneliness. Like that iron gate of Nirmal Villa — it looks strong from outside, but rust has set in within.

Three Lives, One Question

Sitting down to write this story, I remember again and again Ananta and Pradip.

Ananta asked nothing of life. Losing his father at the age of twelve, he worked in a tea shop, yet has no complaint against life. He has lived with whatever he had — and in that living there was a steadiness.

Pradip received much, but kept looking at what he did not receive. In his life emptiness came from within — lost love of the past, the wound of not getting a job.

Satya Kaka seems to have lived a complete life. Money, establishment, the success of his child — nothing is lacking. But coming to the last edge of life, what he wants cannot be bought.

Philosophical and Astrological Explanation

In Indian philosophy there is mention of four goals of life — Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. Satya Kaka ran after Artha all his life, performed his duty. But Moksha — that liberation which is found only in the presence of love — that slowly moved away.

In astrology, the 4th house is the house of happiness, family and shelter. And the 12th house is the house of solitude and separation. In Satya Kaka's life, the Saturn of the 12th house is now giving fruit — in the form of loneliness.

Planets create situations. But twenty-seven years ago, when the decision had to be made — how much time for work, how much for family — that decision was the person's own. The Kundali gives an indication of that balance, but the power to decide is always ours.

One day he whispered —

"I used to think I had done everything right in life… but actually many mistakes were made."

I did not ask which mistake he was speaking of. There was no need to ask.

The Final Truth of Life

Ananta taught — one can live with whatever one has. Pradip taught — if one clings to what one does not have, even what one has slips away. Satya Kaka taught — in the final moments of life a person does not want wealth, does not want status.

He only wants — someone to be beside him.

Ananta showed that even within limits one can find joy and live. Pradip showed that even achievement is futile, if the wound of non-achievement takes place in the mind. And Satya Kaka showed that money and establishment cannot meet the needs of the final moments of life.

The lives of the three together teach us — it is not real how much one gets. What is real is — what one's outlook on life is like — and how much time one has kept for loved ones.