Almost twenty years ago, a man named Panta Petrovic made social distancing a lifestyle choice. He opted for a socially distanced and self-isolated life when he moved to cave top in the Stara Planina mountains in Serbia. His home on the mountain has a unique tree-climb entrance. He does not often come out for purchases as he gets welfare and food donations reached to him.
When asked about his hermitage, Petrovic explained that he wanted to live a life without his wife, neighbors, or police intervention. He lived a normal life before he started living in a cave. Petrovic worked as a laborer on the black market and had married thrice. However, he found freedom and solace away from society.
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While taking up cave life he also gave up his earning to build three small bridges across the town. He believes ‘money is cursed’ and it only corrupts people. Petrovic feeds mostly on leftovers in the town bins. Sometimes, he walks around the forest to collect mushrooms and fish from a nearby lake. He also owns a herd of goats, a flock of chickens, three kittens, and a wild boar named Mara. They lived in the cave until a few of them were slaughtered by wolves, which prompted Petrovic to move them to a shack across the town. He heavily relies on donations to feed his animals.
He came out after 20 years to get his COVID-19 vaccine and also urged other residents to get their due doses. Towards the conclusion of his interview with the news agency, Petrovic reiterated his stance on vaccines. He called the anti-vaxxers fussy and directed them to get their jabs too. The vaccines are to eradicate the disease and urged every citizen to get their due jabs.
Sources: TikTok Dr Karan Raj.
