A 75-year-old man from Madurai, has been living inside a telephone booth for 10 years, having converted it into his home
Kasthurirangan is a 75 year old resident of KK Nagar, Madurai and is physically challenged. In 1988, the Government of Tamil Nadu gave permission to him to run a free telephone booth under the reservation for the physically challenged through which he earned his bread and used the money to raise his son as well. His wife Sundari had died due to ill health. His only son Balamurugan had however married a woman and abandoned him leaving him in lurch. Since then, Kasturi Rangan has been living in solitude in a roadside telephone booth.
With mobile phones taking over the lives of the people, Kasturirangan’s phone booth became obsolete and went completely out of business. After, he closed the telephone booth and converted it into his home. In that cramped space, Kasturirangan has adorned the walls with photos of Lord Ram, Goddess Amman, Lord Vinayagar, Goddesses Saraswati, Sage Ramana Maharishi and many more.
His livelihood currently runs entirely on the government’s old-age pension. Some of the neighbors have been helping by giving food, clothing and small necessities from time to time.
“No one comes to the shop to talk on the phone due to the arrival of cell phones. I’m living in this telephone booth. I get the water from the street tap for bathing and other things. I request the Government of Tamil Nadu to help better my situation.” Kasturirangan was quoted saying in Polimer News.