Daijiworld Media Network – Mandya (SP)

Mandya, Apr 24: Chikkatayamma (70) from Tailur village near Maddur in the district, without dropping any hint of what she was proposing to do, got up in the wee hours on Wednesday April 23, set aside rice and oil as per custom, lighted a lamp, prepared her own pyre, and torched it after climbing the pyre, duly getting cremated on her own. No one in the village knows what prompted her to take this extreme step.

Chikkatayamma is survived by three sons, four daughters, and several grandchildren. Her children have settled elsewhere. Her relatives recollected that the lady often expressed her desire that her death should not cause problems for anyone, and that she does not like people to carry her body from one place to the other.  In the recent past, she had stayed with her son, Ranganath, in Bangalore, before returning to her native village for participating in election. After casting her vote, she stayed alone in the house left behind by her late husband.

At around 2 am, after making all arrangements as per Hindu customs, Chikkatayamma prepared the pyre in the backyard of her home, and lit it after pouring kerosene. The neighbours, who sensed that something was burning, got up and came running to the spot. They saw that the old lady was burning in the pyre, and doused the flames. However, the old lady had breathed her last by them.

Her children and other relatives were informed about the tragedy. They came on Wednesday morning, after which more firewood was added to the same pyre and funeral was conducted as per procedure. District superintendent of police Bhushan G Borase, said that the police have registered a case of unnatural death on their own relating to Chikkatayamma’s death, although no one came forward to file an official complaint.

The villagers expressed surprise at the sudden turn of events. They said Chikkatayamma’s children were financially stable, very caring, and were willing to take good care of her. ‘She also got family pension from railways, and did not have any serious health issues,’ they added. They felt that the only intention of the lady would have been not to bother others in the issue of conducting her funeral.