Octogenarian Nrusingha Dalai of Nandiagada village in Odisha’s Ganjam district believes that his his love for his wife will not end with his death.
To show the world his undying love, he has erected her statue, along with his own, at the village’s cremation ground. His wife, Sumati Dalai died in 2010.
“I did not want even the statue of my wife to stand alone at the cremation ground. So I decided to have one of my own by its side so that she never feels lonely,” said Dalai. He says Sumati had made him promise that he will never leave her company even after her death.
Dalai tends to the statue of his wife as if she were alive. Despite his advanced age, he reaches the cremation ground every morning with a bucket of water in one hand and a lathi in the other to support his body. He washes the statue and wipes it clean it with a fresh napkin. At times he hugs and pats it. At meal time, he serves food in two plates. He eats his meals at the funeral ground.
Their two sons and a daughter are married. He was first employed as a labour contractor sending workers to Burma. He later became a construction contractor.
According to locals, Dalai spends much of his time murmuring words of love to the statue.
Dalai married Sumati of Lungudu village of Buguda block in 1970.
