A 65-year-old woman who was eking out a living by begging in front of Sri Guru Narasimha Temple at Saligrama town in Udupi district surprised everyone on Thursday when she donated ₹1 lakh towards ‘annadana’ at the temple.
Ashwathamma, a native of Kanchugod village off fishing town Gangolli in neighbouring Kundapura taluk, was seen almost every day near the Guru Narasimha and Anjaneya temples at Saligrama. Fondly called “Ajji” by devotees visiting the temple, she used to spend her nights in an enclosure meant to keep the temple’s boat next to the kalyani. Having lost her husband and daughter, she occasionally visits her grandchildren at Kanchugod, according to temple authorities.
Newly elected temple managing committee member K. Ananta Padmanabha Aithal, , told The Hindu Ms. Ashwathamma wanted to offer annadana for February 9 prior to her visit to Sabarimala. However, the temple management told her that the contribution would be kept as a deposit and the proceeds would be used for one-day annadana at the temple every year.
The elderly woman had also contributed around ₹7.5 lakh so far to Polali Rajarajeshwari Temple near Mangaluru and Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, among others as per her claim, Mr. Aithal said. Following this, the temple management has arranged her night stay inside the temple complex where two security guards too would be present to ensure Ms. Ashwathamma’s safety, he added.
On Thursday, Ms. Ashwathamma handed over the amount to temple manager Nagaraja Hande and Chief Priest Janardhana Adiga in front of the presiding deity.