80-Year-Old Beggar From Mangaluru Donated Rs 1 lakh To The Temple

80-year-old Ashwathamma donated a whopping amount of one lakh which she earned through begging for alms during the annadana event at Shri Khsethra Rajarajeshwari temple in Managaluru's Bantwal Taluk. The elderly woman is from Kanchigodu hamlet in Gangolli, Udupi district, and has been begging near temples for 18 years during festivals. Furthermore, she has previously donated up to Rs 6 lakhs to a number of temples throughout the district.

She is a devout follower of Ayappa's mudradharane and has given 'annadana' to over one lakh pilgrims at Sabarimala's numerous shrines. She gave a lakh to the Sri Gurunarasimha Temple in Saligrama, 1.5 lakh to Ayyappa worshippers in Polali Sri Akhileshwara, and contributed 'annadana' to a temple in Gangolli. She had also donated to various orphanages in the Karnataka regions of Udupi and Dakshina Karnataka.

After her husband died over 18 years ago, she was left with no choice but had to beg. The death of her children was another disaster that followed her. She then keeps only a portion of her profits for herself, while the remainder is placed in a bank via a daily deposit collector. The funds are then utilised to support temples and orphans.

Ashwathamma conveyed her wish to donate the money through a restaurant owner near the temple. He went on to say that the old lady's refusal to spend the money she earned through begging was a nice gesture.

The elderly woman's explained the aim that she was simply repaying the money that the society had given her, and that her only goal was that no one should live and go hungry.