……prominent individuals like Mannargudi Jeeyar Swami- A Hindu Acharya have also come forward to provide food for the homeless amidst the lockdown, OpIndia has reported.

PM Modi had announced a 21- day nationwide strict lockdown in order to contain the possible spread of the deadly corona virus. However the lockdown has adversely affected the poor, daily-wage workers who are now struggling to even feed themselves.

The central and various state governments have taken a slew of measures, aimed at alleviating the sufferings of the poor. NGOs have also joined in and extended their support in feeding the most vulnerable members of the society. In addition, prominent individuals like Mannargudi Jeeyar Swami- A Hindu Acharya have also come forward to provide food for the homeless amidst the lockdown. Jeeyar Swami, who is camping at Srirangam is operating with a small staff of 2 people and gets food cooked for 200 peple at the temple premises on contract and distributes food by using his own vehicle.

With the budget of Rs 1.5 lakhs, Swami reckons that he could help at least 200 people tide over this period of lockdown without going hungry. According to him, a plate of fresh rice and sambar or puliyodarai or curd rice can be served to 200 people, twice a day at an average cost of 17.5 rupees per plate, which includes cost of rice, tamarind, pulses, vegetables, staff salaries, packing material.

Sri Chendalankara Sampath Kumara Ramanuja Jeeyar is a Sri Vaishnava sannyasi and the pontiff of the Mannargudi Chendalakara Shenbaka Mannar Matha. Pontiffs of Sri Vaishnava Mathas are referred to by the title ‘Jeeyar Swamigal’. Jeeyar Swamigal is popularly known as the Mannargudi Jeeyar, after the town the Matah operates out of.

In his pontiffhood, along with his regular religious and cultural duties, the Mannargudi Jeeyar has taken it upon himself to reach out to Dalit communities and the most marginalized groups such as the Arundhatiyar, who very often live in segregated colonies in villages. Many of them are landless and work as casual labourers in agriculture and small industries. A good number are also employed in traditional occupations of public conservancy, leather and in cremation grounds. Swami is also actively involved in cow protection. He runs a goshala, taking care of 51 cows under his supervision.

Image Source: Hindu Post