Urns of ashes pile up in Pak temples

Hindus in India converting to Christianity or Islam just for the sake of some money, job or ‘Love’, should learn from Pakistani Hindus. These Hindus trying hard to follow Dharma even though they have to face so many odds ! We also appeal Indian Govt to look after this genuine issue, that is preventing Pakistani Hindus to follow their ‘Dharma’ ! – Editor, Hindujagruti

Amritsar : Hindus in Pakistan have urged New Delhi and Islamabad to resume train and bus links between the two countries, which were suspended after abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir. The community wants to resume travel to Haridwar for performing last rites of their deceased family members, whose ashes filled in urns have started piling up in temples and crematoria.

“Majority of Hindus in Pakistan prefer to perform last rites of their deceased family members in Haridwar. Since they have not been able to travel to India owing to suspension of rail and road links, ashes of the deceased are being kept in urns in temples, special rooms in crematoria and even at homes,” a Hindu leader from Sindh, Diwan Chand Chawla told TOI over phone from Sukkur on Thursday.

Chawla, a former Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader and member of provincial assembly (MPA) from Sukkur in Sindh, urged both India and Pakistan to make arrangements for a special train to Attari/Wagah international border so that Pakistani Hindus could take ashes of their dead family members to Haridwar for their final rites.

“The Hindu community’s demand is not political, but purely religious one that is based on beliefs of their faith,” said Chawla, adding that reports from across Pakistan revealed that urns were piling up in temples waiting to be taken to Haridwar.

Pakistan Hindu Seva Welfare Trust president Sanjesh Dhanja told TOI that as many as 150 urns containing ashes have been added in Karachi’s Panchmukhi temple since August 2019. There were already over 100 urns at the temple which couldn’t be taken to India due to various reasons, including problems in getting visas.

“Relatives of dead ones are desperate to go to Haridwar since their religious sentiments are attached with the holy place and they don’t want to perform their last rites anywhere else. However, they are unable to travel to India due to snapping of road and rail links,” he said.

The Hindu community in Pakistan has the option of performing last rites at Sadh Belo, an island in the Indus river having a cluster of Hindu temples and a gurdwara, near Sukkur. “However, a majority of Hindus still prefer to visit Haridwar and are waiting for resumption of train and road service or a special train for the purpose,” Chawla explained.

A few Hindu families, who can afford to spend money, travel to India using private transport — they first reach Lahore or Wagah rail station, from where they take private taxis to the international border, which they cross on foot. On the Indian side, they first take a private taxi to the nearest town they have visa for and then travel to Haridwar. The process is too tedious and expensive, Chawla said, so the number is fairly low.

In the past, Hindus who couldn’t afford to travel to India would hand over ashes of their loved ones to religious organizations, including Hindu Cremation Ground Association in Karachi, which would take the urns to Haridwar to perform last rites.

Source : TOI