Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday bowed down and felicitated Tula Behera, who rose to fame after donating Rs 1 lakh which she had collected from begging in front of the Jagannath Temple in Phulbani.
PM Modi was addressing Bijay Sankalp Samabesh held in Kandhamal district where the PM praised Tula for her sacrifice and unalloyed devotion towards Lord Jagannath.
Seeking Tula’s blessings, PM touched her feet and depicted Tula’s story of how this 70-year-old woman has donated Rs 1 lakh which she earned through begging throughout her entire life, for the renovation of the old Jagannath temple in Phulbani in Kandhamal district.
Interestingly, when PM Modi asked about anything Tula needs, the latter said in her reply: “I don’t need anything. All I need is Lord Jagannath’s blessing.” This statement has won the heart of Modi.
It is pertinent to mention that Tula has been begging near Jagannath temple in Phulbani town for the past 40 years. The day Tula realised that her savings had reached Rs 1.20 lakh, she decided to donate Rs 1 lakh to the Jagannath temple for its renovation.
Hailing from Chauliaganj in Cuttack, Tula used to work as a daily wager at Chauliaganj. She had married the love of her life Prafulla, also a labourer. The couple moved to Phulbani where Prafulla developed some health issues. After Prafulla’s death, Tula adopted a destitute as her daughter and both continued to beg near the temples. Through the years, they managed to save money from their income in a bank.
On this occasion, the PM also felicitated Padma Shri awardee tribal poet Purnamasi Jani and sought her blessings by touching her feet while addressing the public meeting.
Jani is a poet and a social activist who has composed over 50,000 devotional songs in Odia, Kui and Sanskrit languages. She was conferred with Padma Shri in 2021 for her contributions to tribal culture and art.
