In a quiet village in Telangana, an elderly man has taken the profound step of preparing his final resting place with his own hands, driven by a lifetime of self-reliance and a philosophical acceptance of mortality.
A Daily Ritual at a Self-Made Final Home
Every morning, Nakka Indrayya, an 80-year-old resident of Laxmipur village in Jagtial district, performs a solemn routine. He waters plants, cleans the surroundings, and spends quiet moments sitting beside a neatly constructed pit. This is not a garden plot he tends to, but his own grave, a structure he commissioned and now cares for personally.
"It is my home which I have dug for myself," Indrayya stated after one of his daily visits. The octogenarian chose a plot close to where his wife is buried. He did not ask his four children to handle the arrangements, nor did he leave it to chance. "It is where I will be laid after my death, so I made it as per the design that I wanted," he explained, unbothered by what others might find unsettling.
Engineering Eternity: A Rs 12 Lakh Granite Structure
The grave is a substantial and permanent construction. It is over 6 feet long and 5 feet deep, built entirely out of granite to prevent decay. The project cost him approximately Rs 12 lakh. A mason from Tamil Nadu was brought in to help construct it according to Indrayya's specifications.
He has even planned the practicalities of his burial. "All that one has to do is take a crowbar and move the granite on the top," Indrayya said, describing the mechanism. "Once I am buried, the granite will be pushed back to seal it." This meticulous preparation underscores his desire for a dignified and self-directed end.
A Life of Solitude and Self-Reliance
Indrayya's resolve stems from a life marked by early loss and hard work. His father died when he was just 10 years old, forcing him into the workforce as a local labourer. He later spent 45 years working in Dubai's construction sector, a testament to his enduring work ethic.
After his wife died a few years ago, he returned to his village with his savings, a sense of solitude, and clear-eyed perspective. "I didn't want to be a burden on anybody," he affirmed. His worldview on death is starkly pragmatic and peaceful. "There is no need to fear death. Everyone will die. I know I will die too. I also know where I will be buried."
Each day, after tending to his future resting place, Nakka Indrayya walks back to his home in Laxmipur, a man who has made peace with his fate by literally taking matters into his own hands.
