Daijiworld News Network - Kundapur/Byndoor (GA)

Kundapur, Feb 17: He lived alone despite the family circles.  He slept on footpaths and school verandahs despite having his own house.  And when he finally passed away, strangers carried out his final rites though his own were still around.

This is the story of Alphonse Crasta (75), a destitute who was well known in Gangolli for so many years. He had no one around him whom he could relate to as his own.  He did not have any house currently which he could claim as his own.  Yet he survived all these years.  He would perhaps be the best example to those who resort to suicide when faced with emptiness, both inner as well as outer, and difficulties that life has to be faced as it comes.  He stood firm and faced the life despite problems and difficulties. 

The nearby school verandahs, footpaths were his royal beds and the sky his roof.  Everyone in the village was his own yet no one was his relative.  Every house in the area was his shelter yet none of them housed him.

Yet when he died on the S V Higher Primary school verandah on Wednesday February 15 night, as usual he had no one around him.  But the parish community of the Immaculate Conception of Blessed Virgin Mary church at Gangolli laid him to honourable rest.  With permission from the local authorities and police the parishioners carried out the funeral of Alphonse Crasta.

Thus a person who did not have anyone during most part of his life, had hundreds of people praying for him when he ended his earthly sojourn.