As part of its monthly programme ‘Sadhakarondige Samvaada,’ the Mysore Art Gallery had organised an interaction programme with grave-digger woman Sharane Neelamma, at its premises on Ramanuja Road in the city yesterday. Neelamma, 60, lives and works at Veerashaiva Rudrabhoomi in Vidyaranyapuram.
Replying to a question why she chose this job at a time when a woman visiting burial grounds is considered a taboo in many cultures, Neelamma said that she hailed from Kothegala village in H.D. Kote taluk and married Basavaraju, who worked at burial grounds. She shifted to Veerashaiva burial grounds along with her husband and two sons in 1991 and assisted her husband in digging graves. But years later, her husband died of illness and she had the responsibility of taking care of her children. So she decided to take up her husband’s job, she said.
