Nethravathi alias Ellur Ajji

In the Ellur village near Udupi, there were two orphans (a boy & a girl) belonging to Tulu Shivalli Brahmin community. The boy was about 16 years old and his sister was about 11 years old. They were not having any source of livelihood. Somebody advised the boy to travel towards east where the prospects of getting Archak job were bright. There were no bus facilities at that time. So they left Ellur and trekked their way towards Karkala - Beltangady – Ujire – Mundaje and ultimately arrived at Bendrala. It was a rainy night, and both of them were hungry.  They had an initial interface with Venkatramana Irwathraya, who enquired as to why they travelled all the way from Ellur  to Bendrala. The boy humbly answered that, somebody advised them to go to Bendrala, where a vacancy for Archak job existed, and hence he had come there. As the parents were not alive and there was nobody to take care of his younger sister, he had also brought her with him. Then Venkatramana Irwathraya advised the boy first to take food and have a nice sleep at night, so that they may leisurely sit and talk next day.  

Next day morning, the boy sat with Venkatramana Irwathraya and had a lengthy discussion.  Venkatramana Irwathraya was more worried about the girl, who was 11 years old (the suitable age for marrying off the girls at that time). He advised the boy first to think about the marriage of the poor girl, before thinking anything else.  Unable to search a bride groom and meet the marriage expenses, the boy expressed his helplessness in getting his sister married. Venkatramana Irwathraya took pity and assured the boy of all the help needed in getting the girl married. He queried the boy, if anybody was prepared to meet all the marriage expenses, whether the boy would agree for her marriage with such groom? The boy naturally told ‘yes’. Losing no time, Venkatramana Irwathraya told the boy that, there was a ready bride groom, and if the boy agreed, immediate marriage was possible. The boy was very very happy and agreed immediately. He also wondered who would be the such wonderful bride groom. Alas! The fate of the poor girl was sealed! Venkatramana Irwathraya himself was the wonderful bridegroom! When the girl learnt that the bride groom was none other than the 60 years old Venkatramana Irwathraya, she reconciled to her fate.  There was a simple and instant marriage. Thereafter, by the time the girl attained majority, Venkatramana Irwathraya had attained eternal peace. Poor girl had become a widow even before attaining majority, and even before knowing what was a marital life. She was known as Nethravathi Irwathraya.  My father used to call her as Nethra Mallappa. During my childhood, she was very much alive, and I have seen her. We used to call her Ellur Ajji. Few more details abot or beloved Ellur Ajji are frnished in another chapter.

Venkatramana Irwathraya :         1) first wife – Jalaja

                                                       2) second wife – Name not known

                                                       3) Third wife – Name not known

                                                       4) fourth wife – Nethravathi (alias Ellur Ajji)

Kittanna Irwathraya :  wife-  Kaveramma (daughter of  Kalyanajji of Naala

                                     Puthraya family)

Kallayanajji mostly used to live with the Irwathraya family.

Both Venkatramana Irwathraya and Kittanna Irwathraya of Bendrala had no children, and this branch of Irwathrayas ceased.