The moment she’s done, the full-time homemaker makes a dash down the street where her “other 40 children” live. She must ensure they are all bathed and fed.
From as young as four years old, these “children” under her care are residents of the Thangam Illam Welfare Home in Taman Pandan Indah that she runs with two assistants.
Her husband, a full-time businessman, also pitches in when he can.
Saseikala has been running the home for the past 13 years, though it was founded much earlier by her in-laws to provide shelter for the destitute.
For the residents of Thangam Illam, Saseikala is known as “amma” (mother), and the shelter she provides is much more than just a roof over their heads. It is home.
Aside from the children of families who can’t afford to look after them, the home also cares for special needs kids and the elderly.
“Here, we are a family, and amma is like our mother. She is very caring but she can also be strict,” says M Ramachandra, 17, one of the older boys in the home.
“When we are naughty, she scolds us but it is for our own good.”
B Kartthini, 16, said she is grateful that Saseikala is looking out for them, and spends quality time with them watching movies or playing games.
“Amma is always very supportive. I like Bharatanatyam (Indian classical dance), and they have sent me for classes,” says S Devaki, referring to Saseikala and her husband.
For Saseikala, running the home involves looking after the residents’ needs, including helping the younger ones with their studies and carrying out indoor activities with them so they are kept mentally sharp.
“Sometimes, we just sit together and chat. I just want them to feel at home. My own kids also spend a lot of time here, they all grow up together.”
Looking back, Saseikala says she has come a long way from the self-doubting person she was initially.
She tells FMT she remembers all too clearly back in the early days when she wondered if she was up to the task of caring for so many on a daily basis.
“But I have never regretted doing this. I feel so happy whenever I can help my children. It melts my heart when they look for me. I just want the best for them, I want all of them to succeed.
“To me they are all my children. They aren’t any different from my own kids.”