Where There Is God's Will: 103-Year-Old Odisha Woman Padmabati Begs & Builds Temples
Despite failing health and no place to call home, Padmabati Das continues to walk village roads, collecting small donations to support temple construction across Odisha.
Published : January 17, 2026 at 3:02 PM IST
By Bikash Kumar Das
Bhubaneswar: At 103, when most people struggle with health issues and old-age concerns, Padmabati Das of Balianta in Odisha’s Khordha district continues her decades-long mission of building temples using the money she receives as alms. The centenarian who does not have a house of her own, has been staying in one corner of the same temple she has built and cooks alone to feed herself.
Dedicated to God, Padmabati has been building temples for more than 25 years, which has been her life's mission. Many people, she acknowledges, have also been helping her to carry out the work of constructing temples.
A resident of Dhavalahar, Padmabati walks with the support of a stick and moves from one village to another, collecting donations for temple construction and renovation. She cannot even see well with one eye. But she refuses to rest. She left her home years ago to dedicate her life to religious service and continues to contribute to the construction of new temples as well as the completion of half-built ones.
Padmabati lost her husband Indramani Nath when she was 90 years old but she had left her home even when her husband was alive, in pursuit of achieving spiritual peace. She has a son and two daughters who are married and busy with their lives.
Padmabati has played a major role in building temples in Angul, Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur and Khordha districts. She travels from one village to another in seeking donations and the amount she collects is spent on construction and maintenance of temples.
“I have helped in building the Yogini Temple in Naharkanta, Budhithakkurani Temple in Angul, Jagannath Temple, Gojabayani Temple in Dhenkanal etc.,” she stated.
She earns more than Rs 500 daily by begging, while simultaneously asking people to contribute for building temples. Interestingly, she has not kept track of how much money she has invested in the temple work till date.
Padmabati has also played an important role in the construction of the Laxminarayan and Mahadev temples in her village. While some works remain unfinished due to financial problems, she dreams of completing these projects. “I am worried about completing these temples because age is catching up with me,” she said.
Talking about her journey, Padmabati added, “The people of Odisha give alms generously. Sometimes someone gives Rs 100 while at times people pay Rs 500, and the money keeps coming.”
One of her acquaintances, Tarubala Sahu said, “Padmabati is 103 now yet she is roaming around many places. Earlier, she used to go to Angul and Dhenkanal, but now she does not go far anymore.”
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