Chikamagaluru: There are scores and scores of fans that thespian Dr Raj Kumar has left behind. After his demise, several fans may have elevated him to the position of being a God, but here in Chikamagaluru lives a lady who has been offering prayers to her screen idol Dr Raj over the last four decades, even when Dr Raj was alive.
Lakshmamma is about 70-years-old now and she lives in Malaloor here. Poverty is a harsh reality for this daily wage worker, but her faith on her God is unshakable because no matter what hardships she encounters, she feels that prayers to Dr Raj gives her courage to tide over all her problems.
What more, at times, when there is no money to make her both ends meet and to buy commodities needed for her prayers, she simply lights an incense stick and completes her daily ritual of offering prayers to the thespian, who passed away on April 12, 2006.
In a shabby, dilapidated house, a wall has photos of deities, but it is only the photo of the ‘matinee star’ that has been embellished with flowers.
About 40-years-go when Lakshmamma had been to Bengaluru, she was gifted with Dr Raj’s photo by one of her acquaintances, who knew about her love for the actor. On reaching back home, Lakshmamma started offering prayers to Dr Raj. After this, Lakshmamma says that Dr Raj has appeared in her dreams several times.
A coolie workers, Lakshmamma, over the last several decades has never missed even a single film of Dr Raj. What is surprising is that she also makes it a point to serve the simple food that is cooked in her house, everyday to Dr Raj separately, the way ‘prasadams’ are kept aside to God in Hindu households.
She says that Cauvery dispute could have been solved in seconds if Dr Raj was alive.
What is the wish of this ardent fan of Dr Raj? Well, she says that she could not meet Dr Raj Kumar, but she at least hopes to see his son Shivraj Kumar and Dr Raj’s wife Parvathamma Raj Kumar during her lifetime.
