Bhubaneswar: A woman of Shyamakhunta area of Mayurbhanj district in Odisha reportedly sold out the landed properties of her family to fulfill her deceased husband’s last wish of building a temple for Lord Ram.

The temple built by the woman was consecrated on January 31, villagers said.

Basanti Ghosh and her husband Prahallad Ghosh of Podaastia village under Shyamakhunta block of Mayurbhanj district had been staying in Baripada town for last several years.

The issueless couple had decided to build a Ram Mandir at their native Podaastia in 2012. They had in fact started construction work for the temple on their ancestral land in the village, sources said.

However, the construction work was halted following Prahallad’s untimely demise in 2018, they added.

“Around 20 per cent of the temple construction work had been completed at the time of Prahallad’s untimely demise in 2018. The construction work could not be resumed due to the onset of Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Shortage of money was the biggest hurdle for completing the temple work,” said a villager.

However, Basanti was determined to fulfill her husband’s last wish. She had sold out her family’s entire landed properties to collect money to complete the construction work for Ram Mandir, he added.

“The temple was consecrated on January 31. I am extremely happy for fulfilling my husband’s last wish. This temple belongs to the people Podaastia,” said an emotional Basanti.