April 28, 2023 08:53 pm | Updated April 29, 2023 02:27 PM IST – Alapadu (Bapatla district)
Sandeep and his wife Dipti with the idol of Samantha at their home temple in Alapdu village of Bapatla district on Friday. Photo Credit: T. Vijay Kumar
a young ardent fan of the actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu On Friday, on the occasion of his birthday in Alpadu village of Tsunduru mandal in Andhra Pradesh’s Bapatla district, a temple was built for him and his idol installed in it. This village is about 10 km from Tenali and about 40 km from Guntur.
Twenty-nine-year-old Sandeep, a car driver from Tenali, spent a major part of his earnings on the construction of the temple. talking to HinduMr Sandeep said he was impressed by the good work done by the actor through Pratyusha Support, a charity that sponsors free medical services for children with congenital heart diseases.
from praise to devotion
Speaking about his “admiration-to-devotion” story, Mr. Sandeep said that initially he liked Samantha as a good actor and started following her a decade ago. “When I came to know that she was donating her hard-earned money to help children suffering from congenital heart disease, I became her devotee,” he said. Working hard, she started giving it back to the society and became a role model for many. I decided that she deserves to be worshiped in a temple and built a temple for her,” he said.
They say that the temple project got delayed due to personal and financial problems. “My father succumbed to kidney disease. I built my house by taking a loan and also spent a lot for my marriage. However, I have now managed to complete the temple project,” said Mr Sandeep.
Referring to people’s reaction to his decision, he says that his relatives, residents of the village and others initially thought it was a foolish decision. “Initially, even my wife was reluctant, as she was worried about what the villagers would say. But, when I explained to them the reason behind my decision, my wife, family members, relatives and almost everyone else reassured and supported me.”
“We all love Samantha as an actor. Our admiration for him increased after seeing his charitable work for children in need” says Deepti, wife of Mr. Sandeep.
The elder son of the couple inaugurated the temple in the presence of a large gathering of the residents of the village. The opening was followed by Samantha’s birthday celebration with food offerings, concerts and other activities.
Statue ready in 15 days
Sri Ram Akkala, the sculptor from Tenali who sculpted the idol said that it took him more than 15 days to complete the idol. ‘We used fiber and other materials to make the idol,’ he said, adding that after Khushboo, a temple has now been built for Samantha. He said that she is probably the first actress from Andhra Pradesh to get this honour.
Mr. Sandeep once tried in vain to meet Samantha in Hyderabad and hopes that one day he will be able to meet her directly. “I believe that miracles happen and that my goddess Samantha will come to my house and bless me,” he says.
Mr. Sandeep has offered prayers in many famous temples for Samantha’s healthy life.