Khammam: Man installs deceased wife’s statue

Ashok Khanna stated that installing his wife’s statue was an effort to overcome the void her death left in their lives and to keep her memories alive.

Khammam: Showing love to his deceased wife in a unique way, a man in Khammam immortalised her by installing her statue in the family’s farm field.

The man, Yadla Ashok Khanna, a private employee living at Sathupalli town in the district lost his 38-year-old wife Padma Sri, 17 years after their marriage. She died on August 28 due to illness, a fortnight after celebrating her birthday on August 10. He got his wife’s bust size statue made by sculptors at Tiruvuru in Andhra Pradesh and installed it in a temple-like structure built on the farm field.

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The statue was unveiled recently during Padma Sri’ first nela masikam (a monthly ritual performed for a deceased person) in the presence of relatives.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Ashok Khanna, a native of Yedla Banjara village of Penuballi mandal in the district said he fell in love with Padma Sri when they were pursuing graduation in different colleges at Sathupalli. They got married in 2007 in a love-cum-arranged marriage after convincing their parents and had a daughter Harshita, who is now studying intermediate.

On the day of Padma Sri’s demise, Ashok Khanna, also got a hand cast made to perpetuate his wife’s memories as the sculpture shows the wife and husband and their daughter holding hands.

Ashok Khanna stated that installing his wife’s statue was an effort to overcome the void her death left in their lives and to keep her memories alive.