Parents offer free juice in daughter’s memory

Two years ago, on March 11, the couple came to know that their daughter Anu Vidya, who had gone on a trek to the Kurangani forest, got trapped in a fire and suffered severe burns. She succumbed on March 15.

“During her last days at the hospital, Anu constantly kept asking us for watermelon and lime juice. We could not give it to her due to her medical condition. As we couldn’t give her what she craved during her final days, we decided to serve free juice to everyone who comes here in her memory,” said Kasthuri M, Anu’s mother. The couple had opened the stall last year and plan to continue for as long as they can. The free juice is served between 10 am and 4 pm between March 11-15.

“Recently, a Swiggy delivery person called me to know my house address. As I was guiding him, he suddenly asked me whether this is the house that serves free juice. I was taken aback. When he came home with the food, he welcomed the initiative and said he had been to our stall quite a few times. Since starting this initiative, we have had lots of blessings and prayers from the public,” said Madhu Priya, Anu’s sister.

Recently, Anu’s parents built a shelter for dogs at Tiruvallur, thus fulfilling another of Anu’s wishes. “Since she was an animal activist, it was her dream to build a shelter for dogs and cats,” Kasthuri said.