Patna : A beggar has never been given respect in society, but this one from Bihar has received plaudits and has emerged as a harbinger of hope for his dedication towards social service.

So far, he has conducted marriages of 78 destitute and orphan girls by spending Rs3.8 million (approximately Dh300,000) — money that he collected during 25 years of begging. His achievement is all the more matchless because he is blind by birth.

Meet 60-year-old Mohammad Yakoub, a resident of Deohara village in south Bihar's Aurangabad district, who has brought happiness to the lives of many villagers and fostered communal harmony in the society.

He may be blind, but he can still feel the agony gripping the lives of villagers in his neighbourhood. And, he has not only felt that pain, but has helped ease it.

His day begins early, when he goes out singing qawwaalis (a genre of music) in buses, trains, village squares and market places to get alms in return.

Proud feeling

Such is his reputation in the society that people feel proud in giving him alms. But unlike others who spend the money on themselves, Yakoub spends most of his alms restoring smiles on the faces of villagers.

He is gifted with a melodious voice, and this voice once cast such a spell on a local girl, Safina Khatoon, that she married him despite knowing that he is blind.

He has two children and both study in local government schools Yakoub does not want his children or family to survive on begging.

His wife sells peanuts at a local bus stop to make both ends meet while he himself sings songs to collect alms for social service.

"Getting a poor girl married is equal to constructing 100 temples or mosques. What if I cannot see? There are still many ways I can contribute a little to the society and help mitigate the miseries of my neighbours," Yakoub said proudly while talking over the mobile phone of a co-villager.

"I feel a sense of contentment when I notice happiness in the voice of villagers. I am financially incapable to help the poor, so I beg to collect money for them. There is no shame in begging [as long as it is to help others]. But resorting to this practice to avoid physical work indeed is," he said.

"I would like to die a beggar, supporting a social cause," Yakoub said before boarding a bus to collect alms.

Local villagers said this large-hearted beggar has even helped construct many roads, bridges as well as places of worship for both the Hindu and Muslim communities in the region.

A villager recalled that local Hindus had, for a long time, wanted to construct a temple dedicated to the Sun god on the banks of Punpun river to offer worship during the Chhath festival, one of the biggest in the calendar.

But they had no money. When the message reached Yakoub, he took it as a challenge and decided to construct a temple. Eventually, he donated Rs400,000 to the villagers for the temple and its construction completed in 1985.

He donated a further Rs30,000 to build a road to the temple since the devotees were facing a lot of difficulties in reaching the place.

Similarly, he donated money to construct mosques in the region.

"Nowadays people are concerned primarily with themselves. But Yakoub lives for others. He is a brilliant example and is an eye-opener for those who often cite personal problems. His service is matchless", said Sunil Kumar, a local villager.