Grave-digger Neelamma feted

As part of its monthly programme ‘Sadhakarondige Samvaada,’ the Mysore Art Gallery had organised an interaction programme with grave-digger woman Sharane Neelamma, at its premises on Ramanuja Road in the city yesterday. Neelamma, 60, lives and works at Veerashaiva Rudrabhoomi in Vidyaranyapuram.

Replying to a question why she chose this job at a time when a woman visiting burial grounds is considered a taboo in many cultures, Neelamma said that she hailed from Kothegala village in H.D. Kote taluk and married Basavaraju, who worked at burial grounds. She shifted to Veerashaiva burial grounds along with her husband and two sons in 1991 and assisted her husband in digging graves. But years later, her husband died of illness and she had the responsibility of taking care of her children. So she decided to take up her husband’s job, she said.

Replying to a question on how she felt doing the job, she said in the first few months of her husband’s death, she was disturbed and felt desolate. But sheer grit and determination made her continue with the job, although she had to encounter adverse comments from the society after her husband’s death. Maintaining that with courage and will power, anyone can overcome any obstacles in life, she said she was content with making a living by digging graves. When asked about the number of graves she had dug, Neelamma said that she digs four graves a day single handedly and for each one, she puts in three hours of hard labour, earning between Rs.500 and Rs. 600. She does not charge the poor and till now, she would have dug over 1,000 graves.

Stating that digging graves is back-breaking labour which had given her severe back pain, Neelamma said, however, she will continue with this job till she had the physical strength in her.

Stressing on the need for donating bodies to Medical Colleges, Neelamma said that she had pledged for donating the bodies of all her family members.

Sharane Neelamma was felicitated on the occasion. Kannada Sahitya Kalakoota President  M. Chandrashekar delivered the keynote address.

Corporator M. Sunil Kumar, Advocates Ambale Shivanandaswamy and M. Shivakumaraswamy, Rotarian M. Raju, Gowrishankar Nandidhwaja Sangha President L. Mahadevappa Udigala, Mysore Art Gallery President L. Shivalingappa, Secretary Dr. Jamuna Rani Mirle, Treasurer Prabha Shivalingappa, theatrist Rajashekar Kadamba, writer Ko.Su. Narasimhamurthy and others were present.