Ashes of 400 Hindus, Sikhs in Pakistan brought to India for immersion in Ganga

The mortal remains of over 400 Pakistani Hindus and Sikhs who had passed away were brought to India through the Attari-Wagah joint check-post yesterday.

Due to strict visa norms, the family members of the deceased had to wait for long to come to India to immerse the ashes in the Ganga.

The six-member delegation, led by Mahant Ramnath of Sri Panchmukhi Hanuman Temple in Karachi, has brought the ashes packed in separate boxes. These ashes will be immersed in the Ganga as per the rituals of Hindu religion.

It is learnt that these families were granted visas after nine years. Of these, 50 boxes of ashes belonged to Sikh families also.

Mahant Ramnath, who is also the president of Hindu Cremation Ground Association, has appealed to the Indian and Pakistan governments to be liberal in granting visas at least for the immersion of ashes as per the traditions. Earlier, the organisation had got visas in 2011 and 2016. “It is the strong belief of the Hindus and people following Sanatan Dharma living in Pakistan that the ashes of their near and dear ones should be immersed in the holy Ganga according to religious rituals. We appeal that visas should be granted at least once a year. When the families of the deceased do not get visas, they hand over the ashes to our organisation,” he said.

Mahant Ramnath said in 2011, the ashes of about 180 dead persons and in 2016, about 160 dead persons, were immersed in the Ganga. “Now, the ashes of about 400 deceased will be immersed at Sati Ghat in the Ganga in Haridwar at the Nigam Ghat,” he said.