In a remarkable act of generosity and social responsibility, a migrant worker from Odisha’s Bhadrak district has donated his ancestral land and savings for the construction of a cremation ground in his village.

Also Read: Odisha hospital sweeper, who lived modest life, leaves behind bags of cash after death

The noble gesture by Gaurang of Paribindha Rasulpur village under Kedarpur panchayat has now become the talk of the region, with villagers praising him for putting community welfare above personal property.

For generations, the village had no proper cremation ground, forcing residents to perform last rites in open grazing fields or behind their homes. The lack of a designated cremation space had created immense hardship and emotional distress for villagers over the years.

According to local sources, a disturbing incident deeply affected Gaurang and ultimately inspired his decision. One day, he reportedly saw a dog roaming around the village carrying a partially burnt human hand from an improperly cremated body. The horrifying sight left a lasting impact on him, and he resolved to ensure that his village would one day have a proper cremation facility.

However, the biggest challenge was the lack of available land. Despite belonging to a poor family and earning his livelihood as a migrant labourer outside Odisha, Gaurang decided to donate 16 decimals of his ancestral land for the cremation ground. He has also pledged a major portion of his hard-earned income towards the construction work.

The proposed cremation ground is expected to cost around Rs 15 lakh. Villagers have also come forward to contribute financially to the project. Women of the village celebrated the occasion by blowing conch shells and performing traditional ululations as residents gathered to express their happiness over the long-awaited solution.

Once completed, the cremation ground will benefit not only Paribindha Rasulpur village but also nearby villages, including Sahaspur, Harishankarpur, Kedarpur, Jitanaga, Balibili and Sherapur.

Locals say Gaurang’s sacrifice has set an inspiring example of humanity, compassion and commitment towards the society.

“There was no cremation facility in Kedarpur panchayat. Even to the extent that no government support had been received in this regard. Several elected representatives came and went. Elections have also been held, but no one had taken such a bold step. Personally, I thank him a lot for his noble effort,” local resident, Dr Abhimanyu Jena said.