Gudem (Adilabad): Vidya Mallaiah, 62, of Rayapatnam village has been collecting ‘sacred coins’ from Godavari River thrown by devotees since the last 40 years at Gudem Bridge. This place is popular among devotees for a holy dip.
He is probably the only person to collect it from the days 3 paise was in existence to Rs 10 coins these days. Rayapatnam is located on the banks of Godavari and is the bordering village of Velgatur mandal in Karimnagar.
He has pinned a lot of hopes on the ensuing Godavari Pushkaralu. Nearly 30 persons from border villages of Adilabad and Karimnagar districts also collect coins at Gudem Bridge and a majority of them are fishermen. Collection of coins is not his habit or passion, but a source of livelihood. He starts at 10 am and continues till 3 pm while releasing his cattle for grazing.
Devotees throw coins after taking a dip in Godavari. He uses a stick to search for coins and retrieves them with a magnetic device tied to a plastic rope. Mallaiah said he collected coins of various denominations valued at Rs 5,000 in the last Godavari Pushkarlu held in 2003. Mallaiah has a plot of agriculture land which his family members cultivate.
Mallaiah said he collects coins valued between Rs 50 to Rs 70 every day but on special occasions the amount may go up to Rs 200. However, young collectors retrieve coins much more than he does.
“The old five rupee coins do not get stuck to the magnetic gadget as there is copper in these coins whereas the new five rupee coins are attracted to the magnet,” said Mallaiah and observed that ‘Esetollu Thakuvaindlu … Erukune Tollu Ekkuvaindlu’(the number of devotees who throw coins into the river has come down while collectors have increased manifold). Mallaiah said he rarely gets Rs 5 and Rs 10 coins where as one and two rupee coins are common.
The collection of sacred coins has become competitive as the number of collectors has increased compared to 20 years ago. People from far way villages come to collect the sacred coins near Pushkhara ghats near Gudem in Godavari.
