Attracted by the spiritual significance of the Maha Kumbh, 68 Hindu devotees from Pakistan’s Sindh province reached Prayagraj on Thursday for a holy dip at the Sangam and prayer for the souls of their ancestors. The UP Information Department said the devotes performed rituals at the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati, offering prayers for their forefathers.
Accompanying the group, Mahant Ramnath mentioned that it was in Haridwar where they bathed nearly 480 ancestors in their ashes and performed rituals before arriving at the Maha Kumbh. Speaking from the Shri Guru Karshni camp in Sector 9, Gobind Ram Makheja, a resident of Sindh, told PTI, “Ever since we heard about the Maha Kumbh in the last two or three months, we had a deep longing to visit. We simply couldn’t stop ourselves from coming.”
He said, “Last April, 250 people from Pakistan came to Prayagraj and took a dip in the Ganga. This time, 68 people from six districts of Sindh—Ghotki, Sukkur, Khairpur, Shikarpur, Karkot, and Jatabal—have come, including nearly 50 first-time visitors.” Describing his experience, Makheja said, “It is a joyous, overwhelming feeling. I have no words to express it. Tomorrow, we will take another holy dip. Being here makes us proud of our Sanatan Dharma heritage.”
Surbhi, an 11th-grade student from Ghotki, said, “For the first time, I am getting to deeply understand and witness my religion. It feels wonderful.”
Said Priyanka, a housewife from Sindh: “This is the first time in India and in Maha Kumbh. It’s such a divine feeling to see our culture here. We were brought up among Muslims in Sindh. Contrary to what has been shown by the media, there is no much discrimination of Hindus there. But to experience our heritage at India is nothing else.”
On the CAA, Sukkur-based Niranjan Chawla said, “In Sindh, the situation is not so that people would apply for Indian citizenship. However, in certain areas like Rajasthan on Pakistan’s side, Hindus do face some difficulties.” Chawla, who runs his construction business, urged the Indian government to streamline the visa process.
“Right now it takes nearly six months to get visa clearance. But this time, our group was a bit easier when it came to acquiring the visas, and we are grateful to the Indian government for this,” he said. He further mentioned, “We arrived at the Maha Kumbh camp last night and will head to Raipur on February 8 before traveling to Haridwar. Some members of our group have brought six urns with ashes, which they will immerse in Haridwar.” Looking ahead, Chawla said, “This evening, we will visit saints from the Akharas and explore the grand fair.”
