In a poignant display of faith and personal disillusionment, a 65-year-old retired army soldier from Tamil Nadu has donated property worth ₹4 crore to a temple in Tiruvannamalai district, reportedly after years of humiliation and neglect at the hands of his own children.
The man, S. Vijayan, a native of Kesavapuram village near Arani town, handed over the property to the Arulmigu Renugambal Amman Temple, a revered religious site to which he has been a lifelong devotee. Officials from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department confirmed that the donation came after long-standing familial tensions over inheritance.
Vijayan, who has lived alone for almost a decade following a falling out with his wife, said his decision was spurred by emotional distress caused by constant disputes with his daughters. “They insulted me, even for my daily expenses. I have lived with that pain for too long,” he reportedly told temple officials.
Discovery Inside the Temple Donation Box
The act of donation was discovered in an unexpected manner. On June 24, during the temple’s routine bi-monthly collection from donation boxes (hundis), staff members found two original property documents, alongside coins and currency notes. The papers, hidden in the main hundi near the sanctum sanctorum, were accompanied by a handwritten note from Vijayan, stating that the properties had been willingly donated to the temple.
Temple Executive Officer M. Silambarasan said, “In all our years of service, we have never come across anything like this. It’s deeply unusual and touching. But we must clarify that placing property documents in a donation box doesn’t automatically make the temple the legal owner.”
The two properties in question include a 10-cent plot of land and a single-storey house, located near the temple. Combined, they are valued at ₹4 crore- ₹3 crore for the land and ₹1 crore for the residential property.
Legal Status and Family’s Response
While temple authorities were surprised by the gesture, they also stressed that legal ownership can only be transferred once Vijayan formally registers the donation through the HR&CE Department. Until then, the documents will be held securely.
Meanwhile, sources say Vijayan’s daughters, after learning of the donation, are attempting to reclaim the property. However, HR&CE officials have indicated that any such claim will depend on legal procedures and the donor’s final decision.
A Larger Conversation on Family, Faith, and Legacy
The incident has struck a chord across the region, raising questions about familial obligations, the treatment of the elderly, and the deeply personal ways in which individuals seek peace and justice. For many, Vijayan’s decision is seen as a powerful, if tragic, commentary on how emotional isolation can influence life-altering decisions.
The HR&CE department has initiated internal discussions on how to proceed with the case, while temple visitors and local residents continue to talk about the rare act of donation, one driven not by wealth, but by heartbreak, solitude, and unwavering faith.
