Pilgrims leave for Katasraj in Pakistan for Mahashivratri

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 6

A group of over 112 devotees crossed over to Pakistan for a six-day pilgrimage to celebrate Mahashivratri at the Katasraj cluster of temples under the banner of Kendriya Sanatan Dharam Sabha through Attari-Wagah border today.

The Pakistan High Commission on Monday issued 112 visas to the group of pilgrims from India to facilitate their travel to the temples in Punjab province’s Chakwal district.

The pilgrimage is planned between March 6 and 12.

Some pilgrims hailing from far-off places like New Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Visakhapatnam had reached Durgiana Mandir in Amritsar last evening and the rest of them joined them at Attari border this morning.

There was resentment among the devotees who were denied visas as they had to skip the trip at the eleventh hour. It is learnt that the confirmation for visas was announced just an evening prior to the scheduled pilgrimage, leading to harassment to pilgrims.

Swarn Chadha from New Delhi who could not get the visa said that she had come to Amritsar to collect the passport. “In our group of 10, six were granted visas. The others also cancelled their trip and I have come to get back the passports. We are terribly disappointed,” she said.

Ram Parkash Sharma from Mathura was happy to have got the visa. He said that he was visiting Katasraj temples for the first time after trying for the past four years.

Ribhu Kant Goswami said the governments of both nations should be liberal in granting visas keeping in view the sentiments of pilgrims.

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