A group of poll officials embark on a bumpy ride of more than 35 km, cutting through dense forests, to make the temple priest's life easier
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Jagyaseni Biswas
Mahant Bharatdas Darshandas, a man in his late 60s, may have been talked about since Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned him in his maiden ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address in 2019, but the reason he earned himself this special place dates back a couple of decades.
The lone voter from Gir forest’s Banej village has had the Election C
ommission of India (ECI) set up a poll booth just for him for years, in the dense and isolated Gir forest.
The temple priest is one of the very few humans to reside at the location among deer, peacocks, and a host of other wild creatures, and would have to travel 120 km to reach the nearest poll booth if the EC doesn’t make special provisions for him.
So, since no citizen must ‘ordinarily travel more than two km to reach the booth’, a group of poll officials embark on a bumpy ride of more than 35 km to make his life easier.
A ScoopWhoop report states how the priest’s isolation has not stopped him from being his bit of flamboyant. Clad in a saffron sarong and a pair of sunglasses, the senior citizen rocks a tiny knot towards the end of his long beard.
Darshandas decided to become an ascetic quite early in his life. He dropped out of studies and embarked on a religious voyage when he arrived at his current place of residence. It has been 20 years since, and he lives with no regret. He loves his life in this no electricity and phone environment; the meditative environment makes up for the lack of any form of entertainment.
However, he has stated how life gets lonely at times, given the limited access to human interaction and basic amenities. Things are a little better now, with the world finding out about his solitary existence and multiple journalists reaching out to speak to him.
The recluse gloats about the fact that his faith and dedication in the electoral system has made him “special”. That doesn’t mean he is not thankful for the tremendous effort made for him. “I feel good that the authorities come here to pick up my vote. I feel honoured,” he had said.
Every year, he waits eagerly for his turn to exercise his Right to Adult Franchise, while a team of poll officers, assisted by police, cut through dense foliage to collect his precious ballot.
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/meet-mahant-bharatdas-darshandas-the-lone-voter-from-gir-village-3703901.html
Mahant Bharatdas Darshandas, a man in his late 60s, may have been talked about since Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned him in his maiden ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address in 2019, but the reason he earned himself this special place dates back a couple of decades.
The lone voter from Gir forest’s Banej village has had the Election C
ommission of India (ECI) set up a poll booth just for him for years, in the dense and isolated Gir forest.
The temple priest is one of the very few humans to reside at the location among deer, peacocks, and a host of other wild creatures, and would have to travel 120 km to reach the nearest poll booth if the EC doesn’t make special provisions for him.
So, since no citizen must ‘ordinarily travel more than two km to reach the booth’, a group of poll officials embark on a bumpy ride of more than 35 km to make his life easier.
A ScoopWhoop report states how the priest’s isolation has not stopped him from being his bit of flamboyant. Clad in a saffron sarong and a pair of sunglasses, the senior citizen rocks a tiny knot towards the end of his long beard.
Darshandas decided to become an ascetic quite early in his life. He dropped out of studies and embarked on a religious voyage when he arrived at his current place of residence. It has been 20 years since, and he lives with no regret. He loves his life in this no electricity and phone environment; the meditative environment makes up for the lack of any form of entertainment.
However, he has stated how life gets lonely at times, given the limited access to human interaction and basic amenities. Things are a little better now, with the world finding out about his solitary existence and multiple journalists reaching out to speak to him.
The recluse gloats about the fact that his faith and dedication in the electoral system has made him “special”. That doesn’t mean he is not thankful for the tremendous effort made for him. “I feel good that the authorities come here to pick up my vote. I feel honoured,” he had said.
Every year, he waits eagerly for his turn to exercise his Right to Adult Franchise, while a team of poll officers, assisted by police, cut through dense foliage to collect his precious ballot.
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/meet-mahant-bharatdas-darshandas-the-lone-voter-from-gir-village-3703901.html
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