Mysuru: Speak of death, the dead or even about a crematorium and many would have chill running down their spine, but here in Mysuru lives a woman among the dead!

Hounded by stigma and mystery, here is a woman performing the job of a quintessential ‘Chandala’ in the Royal city of Mysuru.

Go by mythology and it is the Supreme God Shiva, who is said to be the keeper of the crematoriums. King Harishchandra, the legends say, performed the very same job, when he lost his fortunes and kingdom.

Over the last 15 years, this lady has redefined traditions and customs and has been performing her role as a keeper of a crematorium, that too by choice.

Neelamma is a resident of Vidyaranyapuram. However, to find exactly where she lives will be a little uncomfortable truth for many.

Jostled in between several memorials of the death lives Neelamma in a small house.

Digging out pits to making preparation for the last rites,

Neelamma is the person the kin of the death bank on.

It was her husband Basavaraju, a Ticket seller in Padma Theatre, who was chosen  by the Veerashaiva Sangha to perform the essential duties at Veerashaiva Crematorum. However, 15-years-ago, when Basavaraju met his untimely end, Neelamma, without any fear or apprehension got into his shoes.

Since then, she has been the guardian of the crematorium here.

She charges Rs 600 for making arrangements for cremating one dead body and on an average she gets two dead bodies a day.

Her son is an employee in a private company.

Speak about her job to Neelamma and she has no regrets of having chosen a profession which is not looked at in a normal way.

“Life is incidental, but death is certain,” she says adding that she is happy with the duty that god has bestowed on her.