Disciples of Tulsidas under penury

Chitrakoot, Aug 18 (UNI) Even as Tulsi Jayanti will be celebrated on August 20, the disciples of Sant Tulsidas are striving hard to earn a decent living.

Goswami Tulsidas, the author of holy Hindu text Ramcharitmanas, was born at Rajapur village here in 1497 AD.

Later, his disciples were authorised by Mughal emperor Akbar and Aurangzeb to collect octroi from a ghat for a living.

They continued with the legacy under the Bundel dynasty, who allowed them the right to octroi.

From 1856 onwards, the British started claiming half of the share of octroi. This was the starting point of financial downfall of these disciples, who are still living in a pitiable state to date.

The followers of Tulsidas are now solely dependent on charity amount collected in the name of hand-written manuscript of Ramcharitmanas kept at his village.

Thousands of people throng every year to have a glimpse of this holy text, preserved by Ramashrya Das.

Tulsidas had completed writing Ramcharitmanas within three yrs.

UNI