Udupi temple receives Rs 1 lakh donation from a beggar

Udupi: A 64-year old woman, who begs for alms in front of Sri Guru Narasimha Temple at Saligrama in Udupi district donated Rs 1 lakh, from the money she pooled by begging towards Anna Daana at the temple.

Ashwathamma, hailing from Kanchugod village in Kundapura taluk, fondlycalled as ‘ajji’ used to seek alms in front of the temple. She uses the money she collects for social service activities.

Ajji is an avid devotee of Lord Ayyappa and wears the customary Ayyappa Mala.

She claims that she has contributed around Rs. 7.5 lakh to Polali temple and Sabarimala Ayyappa temple.

Temple managing committee member, K Ananta Aithal informed that Ashwathamma wanted to host Anna Daana on February 9, the day she is to wear “irumudi,” but the management convinced that the contribution would be kept as a deposit and would be used for a one-day Anna Daana at the temple every year.

On February 4, Ashwathamma handed over the money to temple and in turn she was honoured with prasadam by Saligrama temple priest Vedamurthy Janardana Adiga and manager K Nagaraja Hande.