Hyderabad: A former advocate from Peddapalli district, who lost his legal practice during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been living on the steps of the Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple in Vemulawada for the past two years along with his wife, who suffers from a chronic illness.
The couple – Jalandhar Reddy and Sireesha – came to the attention of district officials recently when the Rajanna-Sircilla Collector Garima Agarwal directed the District Welfare Officer and Additional Superintendent of Police to counsel alms-seekers at the temple in Vemulawada and help rehabilitate them.
Reddy, a law graduate who was practising as an advocate in Karimnagar, told officials that the pandemic had devastated his livelihood, leaving the family with no income. His wife Sireesha’s deteriorating health condition further strained their finances, with the couple exhausting their savings on her treatment.
When Sireesha expressed a wish to travel to the Vemulawada temple after what she described as a divine dream, Reddy accompanied her. The couple has since been living on the temple steps, cleaning them daily. Reddy told officials they had never solicited alms, though they accepted offerings from devotees.
The couple had previously been moved to a shelter home but returned to the temple.
When asked about rehabilitation, Reddy told officials they were willing to leave if the government offered them employment.
Both are graduates. Reddy holds an LLB degree, while Sireesha completed a BCom in computer science. They married in 2006.
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