Stranded in Tirupati, family of 24 simply sit back and count down 21

Some others too got stuck, and they simply bide their time and pray for the coronovirus threat to pass, the lockdown lifted so that they can go home

The pilgrim family from Odisha stranded in a lodge in Tirupati, waits for assistance from the government.

For Nandakumar Behara, its a devil’s alternative in God’s town as he can’t take his family of 24 all the way from Tirupati to his home in Kalahandi district of Odisha until the lockdown is lifted.

Rajesh Kumar, who came from Bhopal along with his wife for commissioning a huge equipment in a nearby sugar factory, got held up in the city when the lockdown was announced. With all modes of transport coming to a grinding halt and the borders sealed, he too had no option but to make the period of his stay as comfortable as possible.

Set-back to stay back

Due to the lockdown that came immediately after the ‘Janata Curfew’ after COVID-19 started rearing its head in the country, there are several such families in this pilgrim city that had to stay back. For them, the first set-back came in the form of closure of Tirumala temple. Even before they could comprehend, the curfew was announced, trains and flights stopped and finally the lockdown clamped.

“Though initially we found it difficult to understand the gravity of the situation, it is now very clear. We are ready to stay back here till thelockdown is lifted, if the government offers us food and shelter,” Mr. Behara told

The Hindu . After 10 days of stay in a private lodge, the family moved to the TTD’s second choultry compound, thanks to the intervention of district officials. “We arranged rice, pulses, milk, vegetables and a cooking stove to a family for its survival all these days,” chipeed in Sony Duggandla, proprietor of Adarsh Residency located near the railway station.

A win-win deal

Meanwhile, the smart ones among the local lodges have worked out a win-win model with the stranded parties. In view of the huge burden the daily rent can cast on the guests, some lodges have agreed to let out the rooms to the occupants on a monthly rental basis during the lockdown period, which will actually work out to the advantage of both. Rahul, from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, decided to extend his stay under this arrangement in the same room, along with his family of seven adults and three kids.

However, most major hotels stopped bookings when the COVID-19 threat was still faint, sensing something ominous.