Dokkaa Seetamma was born in 1841 in Mandapeta. She was known by many as “Annapuurnamma”. This was because of her sadgunams like Atithi-seva and Anna-daanam. To whoever was hungry, she used to cook food and serve them. In no time her fame went to all directions.
In 1902, December, she was called to Delhi for receiving an award for her daana-gunam. With great Vinayam, thinking that Atithi-seva, Anna-daanam are the minimum things that Bhaarateeya Samskruti imposed in order to show one’s Krutagnyata to his fellow humans, she didnt attend the function to receive the award. She was a true Bhaarateeya who was humble, never thought about name and fame. The collector, knowing this, made a painting of her, put it in the award cermony and respected her.
Once on a heavy rainy day a Vruddha sharana-arthi was shouting like this from the other side of the Godaavari river “I am very hungry. Please give me food. O Seetamma!”. Listening to the aarta-naadam, Seetamma felt pain. She immediately cooked food and herself carried it across the river in the heavy rain and served the hungry old man.
In a village by name Munganda, there was a Bhraatru-hantaka (he killed his own brother for property). Due to this dushkarma, he became a pishaachi. He experienced ghora-narakam with that form. Once he came into a small girl and said “one night Seetamma did great Annadaanam to a Vruddha. Please ask her to give me this one Anna-daana phalam. With this I will get Vimukti”. The family ran to Seetamma and told this. Immediately Seetamma did Phalatyaagam of her Anna-daanam with the help of her Purohita. Before everybody, the pishaachi got Vimukti. Seeing this everybody came to know the greatness of Anna-daanam. Bhaarata-desham will never forget Dokkaa Seetamma. Annadaata Sukhiibhava!
Morals in the story:
- The Atithi-seva tattvam, Anna-daana gunam of a Bhaarata-naari is well shown in this story through Dokkaa Seetamma.
- The greatness of Anna-daanam is well shown in the story. The punya-phalam of one Anna-daanam was enough to give Vimukti to even a pishaachi.
Search Terms: Dokka Seethamma, Sitamma, Annapoornamma
Great ! written nicely about Dokka Sitamma garu.
good work and keep it up.
Nice to find such incidents and keep it up.
Kiran.N.
It is great. I am looking for a Book on Dokka Seethamma garu, can you help me ?
Yes, my father Swargiya Sita Rama Cheinulu Mirthipati has written the life history of Smt. Dokka Sithamma in telugu during 1959, and we have republished the same in the year 2009 – being the centenary death year of Smt. Sithamma and kept for free distribution to the interested.I have translated the same into English – yet to be publised. At present i am in Jagdalpur, Chattisgarh State. You can have a book from my brother Sri Machari Babu who lives in hyderabad. His contact number is 040-27240438/ 9866068163
NAMASKARAMS TO ALL
IAM PROUD TO SAY THAT, IAM THE FIRST GRAND SON OF SRI SITHA RAMA CHAINULU IF YOU TOUCH ANYONE IN KONASEEMA EVERYBODY KNOW VERY WELL MY FATHER SRI MIRTHIPATI NARAYANA EFFORTS ABOUT DOKKA SEETHAMMA THOUGH WE ARE LOW MIDDLE CLASS.
namaskars to all,
If u want to buy some books belongs to Dokka Seetamma garu, u can get them in Visalandhra Publications book shop which is in Vijayawada, Kakinada etc.,
Thank u.
where can i get a picture or photo of the great Dokka Seethamma garu
I have, i can mail the same if u can provide yr mail id.
I Am very happy to see this published As My Granmom(ammamma ) is Smt.Dokka Seetamma garu’s Great grand daughter and i have seen that my mother to has this gene and shealways thrive to feed the poor
i am proud to be part of such lineage who must be associated with such a great saintly woman 
Ms.Tata Ramadevi gaarki!
This is from G,S.Sarma..I am a writer of sorts. My pen name is GANTI RAMA DEVI. That was a freak story how this name has been given to the writer.
I am happy that you belong to the great Smt. Seethamma garu. If posible give more details. I have appended my version of story which I heard from my mother. As a small boy this story has rattled me very much. I am now sixty plus. I have taken birth on other side of Godavari. We cross the river and we are in gannavaram. Great dravida dynasty is studded with diamonds like Smt. Seetamma garu.
namnaste…we have a magazine bharath jaiho in that i want to writ about dokka sitamma garu…i got information i will call ur brother..and Rama devi garu…pls give ur phone no i want to talk to u…
Its really great pleasure for me to read this work. I am the grand son of sri seetha rama chainulu who has written the story of dokka seethamma garu. for books in chennai please get in touch with me. 9940351970.
I have put up a small writeup in ‘google search’, any body can view the same by typing “Smt. Dokka seethamma’ or my name “VENKATRAMAIAH MIRTHIPATI’ in that you may view the only photograph of the legend.
I am also to share that i have born & brought up in a house just adjacent to the house where the legend lived.
M. VENKATRAMAIAH
I am now sixty plus. My family used to stay in a small village called Appanapalli (rozole taluka..Mamidikuduru mandal). My mother (her name was Annapurna) is not literate (she can write a and aa only) and she used to narrate the story of Smt. Dokka Seethamma. At the age of 4 or 5 the story etched firmly in my memory. The story goes like this. Smt. Seethamma was on pilgrammage to Antharvedi and in those olden days, they travelled by foot or bullock carts. Smt. Seethamma garu was going to Antarvedi by palanquin. No motors, autos in those days.., While she was proceeding to the Sri Antharvedi Lakshmi Narasimha swamy temple, she heard a small boy crying, ‘i am hungry’. Father (perhaps.. or an elderly member of that group) had consoled the boy. saying..’forbear for some time.. we are reaching gannavaram.. there Seethamma gaaru is there. Any time of the day we get food there.’ On hearing this, sMT. SEETHAMMA GARU told the palanquin bearers to return to her house..she then prepared food for the group and waited till they came and served food to them.’Such is the great soul Smt. Seethamma garu..she has given secondary importance to the almighty and her first preference was ‘anna daanam.’. We feel proud that the photograph was inaugurated in the mail hall of Royal Palace London on 1.1.1903. Late Sri GMC balayogi, the ex speaker of Lok sabha had saw it in the year 2000 when he was in London. As a Dravida (that is another story..Sri Late chittila subbaarayudu has written “Dravida vamsa charithra’) community member, it is gratifying that many eminent persons have come up like lotus in the great community.
Request.1. please tell me where i can read the life history of Smt. Dokka Seethamma in telugu.
Request 2. please give the names of descendents of Smt. Seethamma garu.
I saw one reference from Ms. Tata Rama devi garu. I would like to hear some more details on Smt. Seethamma garu.
G.S.Sarma (writer with pen name GANTI RAMA DEVI)