Tamil Nadu: Ex-serviceman worships idol of late wife

An Ex-serviceman from Thoothukudi District who yearns for his wife installed her statue in his house. He erected a memorial hall in front of his house and installed the statue as a guardian deity and is still worshipping her today.

Tuticorin(Tamil Nadu): S. Madasamy, an Ex-serviceman from Thoothukudi District, has built a memorial hall for his late wife adjacent to his house. Having lived with his wife for about half a century, he was unable to bear the pangs of separation of his wife, he sculpted the image of his wife and has been performing special poojas by paying his obeisance daily.

Madasamy joined the army after completing Class X and served until 1975. Later, he joined the Central Heavy Water Factory as a Security Officer and retired in 2000 as an Office Assistant.

Madasamy-Valliyammal is a couple from Mudivaithanendalai, Thoothukudi. For Valliayammal, the welfare of her husband was of paramount importance.

The couple has a son and two daughters. Valliyammal, passed away on January 25, 2014, due to prolonged illness.

Madasamy was overwhelmed by the waves of his wife’s memory as he looked in any direction of his house. He thought of symbolizing their meaningful life as the love between these two is immortalized by time and cannot be measured by any yardstick.

Demonstrating his love for his wife, Madasamy decided to make a statue for her. He went to Mayiladuthurai in Kanyakumari District and brought the sculpture of his wife Valliyammal. He erected a hall in front of his house and installed the statue as a guardian deity and is still worshipping till today.

The Ex-serviceman has also sculpted his own image in the same place, the very next year, feeling intolerant of his wife’s statue standing alone.

He has constructed the memorial hall on a four-pillared structure to support his wife for the rest of his life who supported him.

The names of the four members of his family (Madasamy and his three children) are inscribed in the four pillars of this hall.

He observes Saturday, the day of his wife’s death as a day of mourning and wears a black shirt every week. On both the birthday and the death day of his wife, he helps others.

Madasamy also wears a ring and a chain inscribed with her image.