Alex beats odds to carry devotees to abode of Lord Ayyappa

FOR E Alex, a dolly carrier with disability, his regular trips braving heights, weather, and through crowded forest paths beelining devotees and speeding tractor trailers, to the hill shrine of Sabarimala, is not just a routine but also a devotion to Lord Ayyappa.

- JAISON WILSON @Pathanamthitta

The trekking path from Pampa to Sannidhanam involves walking up hills through a rocky and hilly area, which is difficult for even a healthy person.

But for Alex, a lean person with an amputated right hand, it is no mean feat to pull a person on a dolly. The dolly used in the hill shrine is a reclining bamboo cane chair used for carrying pilgrims who are unable to walk.

Hailing from Vandiperiyar in Idukki, Alex (39) had lost his right hand in an electric shock accident around 28 years back. Though his leg and right ear were also affected, Alex survived with a seriously injured hand. As his right palm was completely burnt, it was amputated from below his right elbow.