Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady (SP)
Beltangady, Jan 12: This is a story, which can come close to only the weirdest of Hindi television series, because of the villainy, ruthlessness, and total lack of compassion shown by a man towards his own offspring. Because of the torture and shock, both mental and physical, he has gone through, the dejected youth has become dumb. The story of Annappa, who now has nowhere to go, was unfolded by some Ayyappa devotees, with whom he reached Dharmasthala on Sunday January 11.
Annappa (21) is the son of Siddarth Aiyar from Shantinagara in Aldur taluk of Chikmagalur district. His mother left for heavenly abode when he was two, and his father married for a second time thereafter. The boy, who grew up as an orphan thereafter, completed BBM degree course from National College, Bengaluru. Later, he joined the famous Goddess Annapoorneshwari Temple at Horanadu in Chikmagalur district as a computer operator with a monthly pay of Rs 8,000. His family came to know of his whereabouts a few months back, after which they visited Horanadu and took the boy home.
Thereafter, the youth went through untold miseries at his house. As he was subjected to electric shocks at home thereafter, he lost the capacity to speak. Subsequently, he was admitted into an orphanage at Whitefield, Bengaluru. His father and some relatives of his mother came to him on January 6, took him to Lord Kalasewhara Temple in Kalasa, where he was made to adopt austerities connected with Ayyappa pilgrimage. After taking him to Sabarimala, Annappa was left behind by his father and close ones on the banks of Pampa River there. Annappa, who had lost the power to speak, was left to fend for himself. He contacted the information office at Sabarimala, after which the office staff, who came to know that he was from Karnataka, sent him back in the company of a group of Ayyappa devotees from Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district.
The group, on its return journey, has been visiting various temples and places of pilgrimage. It reached Dharmasthala on Sunday January 11. The group, which is determined to secure the future of the youth, met Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari, Dr D Veerendra Heggade, and explained to him that they are clueless about what could be done about the youngster. Heggade advised them to contact the police immediately, after which the Ayyappa devotees went to police outpost at Dharmasthala and handed Annappa over to their possession.