11/22/2020 Dokka Seethamma - Wikipedia

Dokka Seethamma

Dokka Seethamma (or Sithamma; 1841–1909) was an Dokka Seethamma

Indian woman who gained recognition by spending much of her
life serving food for poor people and travellers.

Seethamma was born in October 1841 in the then village of

Mandapeta, in Andhra Pradesh,[1] and lost her mother during her
childhood.[2]

Dokka Joganna, a rich farmer, married her, and this allowed her
to offer food to the poor, which she did for more than 40 years,
much of it after her husband's death.[3]

At the end of her life, she gave away her possessions and hired a
bullock cart driver to take her to Varanasi to die in accordance
with her Hindu beliefs, but turned back and hastily cooked a
meal with begged ingredients after hearing a family in the next
room at the pilgrims' inn talking of being on their way to ask her
for food.
Statue of Dokka Seethamma at
The British government recognized her charity, and King Edward Vivekananda Park in Kakinada,
VII invited her to the celebration of his anniversary along with Andhra Pradesh, India
other guests from India. He ordered the chief secretary of Madras
Born October 1841
to bring her to Delhi with honor, but Seethamma politely
declined the invitation, saying that she was not providing her Mandapeta, East
services for publicity. The Madras chief secretary instead gave Godavari District,
King Edward a photograph of her, which he then enlarged to Andhra Pradesh,
place on the chair where she was to sit during the celebration.[3] India
Died 1909
Seethamma was honored as a Hindu saint and called Apara
Annapurna, a reincarnation of the goddess Annapurna.[4] An Nationality Indian
aqueduct over the Vynateya river was named for her in 2000 and Other names Andhrula Annapurna
is marked with a bust depicting her.[1][3][5] Apara Annapurna
Occupation Social Worker,
References Educationalist,

ర మ Spouse(s) Dokka Joganna

1. య . . "ఆం ల అన తమ
" (http://www.gotelugu.com/issue26/711/telugu-columns/s
mt-dokka-seethamma-biography/). gotelugu.com (with photograph) (in Telugu). Retrieved
23 August 2016.
2. Subrahmanyam, Velcheti (15 December 2016). "Play Dokka Seethamma: On a life well lived" (htt
ps://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/theatre/Play-Dokka-Seethamma-On-a-life-well-lived/article
16834071.ece). The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0971-751X).
Retrieved 31 August 2020.
3. Jai Hind (29 November 2015). "Smt. Dokka Seethamma, A women served for Hunger and
Needy" (http://www.mynationpride.com/biographies/smt-dokka-seethamma-a-true-motherhood-to-
the-poor-and-sick-in-19th-century/). My Nation Pride. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
4. Doug Glener; Sarat Komaragiri (2002). " 'The Guest Is God': The Hospitality of a Hindu Saint" (htt
p://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/hinduism/2000/03/the-guest-is-god-the-hospitality-of-a-hindu-saint.as
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dokka_Seethamma 1/2
11/22/2020 Dokka Seethamma - Wikipedia

px). Wisdom's Blossoms: Tales of the Saints of India. Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala.
ISBN 9781570628849. Retrieved 23 August 2016 – via Beliefnet.
5. B. V. S. Bhaskar (28 August 2010). "Aqueduct cries for attention" (http://www.thehindu.com/today
s-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/aqueduct-cries-for-attention/article599572.ece). The Hindu.
Retrieved 23 August 2016.

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