A 95-year-old beggar, dressed in a traditional white dhoti-kurta and cap, walked into a jewellery shop in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, leaving the staff initially under the impression that he was seeking financial help. But when he expressed his desire to buy a mangalsutra (a sacred necklace worn by married Hindu women) for his wife, who was accompanying him, the shop owner was overwhelmed by the elderly man’s touching gesture of love. He handed over the necklace for a symbolic amount of just Rs 20.
Beggar Buys Mangalsutra for Wife
A heartwarming video of the moment has gone viral on social media, moving many with the elderly man’s deep affection for his wife. Nivrutti Shinde and his wife, Shantabai, come from a humble farming background in Ambhora Jahagir village, Jalna district. Facing severe financial distress and homelessness, the couple now begs on the streets of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
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Srinivas, a nearby medical store owner, shared, “You’ll be shocked to hear Baba’s story. He begs for money outside the Gajanan Maharaj temple. Every day, whether it’s hot sun or pouring rain, he stands at the signal asking for spare change and then converts coins into notes—often through me. He’s around 95 years old.”
Recently, the couple visited a jewellery store in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Mistaking them for alms-seekers, the staff were surprised when Nivrutti humbly shared that he wanted to buy a traditional mangalsutra for his wife. Touched by the gesture, the shop owner decided to gift them the necklace, accepting only Rs 20 as a token amount.
“The couple entered the shop, and the man handed me Rs 1,120, saying he wanted to buy a mangalsutra for his wife. I was overwhelmed by his sentiment. I just took Rs 20 from him as a blessing and gave them the mangalsutra,” the shop owner said.
Srinivas added, “Begging at traffic signals and sleeping outside temples is dangerous. Still, he saved every penny for his wife. He has a son who works as a labourer and had to take a loan, which forced them to shift to Aurangabad. Baba is too old to work, and he was even robbed once. The government should step in and provide them with safe housing.”