Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai (SP)
Chennai, Oct 12: Destitute persons and families are often seen begging near temples, Maths or other centres of worship which are thronged by people eager to earn divine grace. Deviating from this practice, a Russian tourist was seen begging from the visitors to the temple at the main gate of Kumara Kottam temple at Kanchipuram in the state on Tuesday October 10. Surprisingly, this tourist was not a destitute, but an ultlra rich tourist from Russia, identified as Evangelin Berngowe (32).
Evangelin, who had undertaken world tour, had arrived in India on September 24. He had travelled many places in north India before beginning south Indian tour. He possesses his passport, visa and other documents. He travelled through length and breadth of Kanchipuram town, which is known for ancient temples, after coming here from Chennai on Tuesday morning. He later visited an ATM kiosk located near Lord Kumara Kottam temple on West Raja Street, Kanchipurm. To his bad luck, the ATM card he inserted into the ATM machine was swallowed by the machine and in spite of his best efforts, it could not be retrieved. It is said that he had forgotten his PIN.
The tourist came back from the ATM kiosk but he had no money for food or to even return to Chennai. He then thought of begging for money to pool enough money to return to Chennai. A few devotees, who were surprised, put some money in the outstretched hat of Evangelin. But the personnel of Siva Kanchi police station nearby, who came to know about this strange beggar, came there and took him to the police station. During the questioning, they realized that the frustrated Russian was really rich and was in possession of all the documents needed for travel but lack of money had forced him to beg. The police also came to know that he had exhausted money in his cellphone too. The harassed traveller had searched for fellow Russians in the town for help but failed to find any. Therefore he had decided to beg.
They then handed over some money to him to meet expenses till he reached Chennai. He was put on a train to Chennai and advised to get down at Egmore and reach Russian embassy from there for further arrangements.