ID :
19605
Mon, 09/15/2008 - 19:59
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http://m.oananews.org//node/19605
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Group of Pakistani Hindus on India trip
Karachi, Sept 15 (PTI) A group of 20 Pakistani Hindus has set off from here to India to participate in a festival in Rajasthan and visit sacred places in the neighbouring country.
"I am very happy as my wish has finally been fulfilled," said 60-year-old Dhaili, who said she had been waiting to undertake this pilgrimage for several years. She carried five bags filled with coconuts, the hair of three children, bottles of water from the Indus river, 'prashad' from Hinglaj Mata's temple and sweets for Indian relatives.
The pilgrims will visit several holy places in India but the 'Daily Times' newspaper said that their primary aim was to visit the shrine of 'Shri Nath Jee' near Gaibsagar Jheel in Rajasthan for a festival to be held in late September. The group travelled to Lahore, from where it will leave for India on Tuesday via the Wagha border.
Another pilgrim, Mohan, expressed his delight at making his first trip to India. "Most of us wanted to visit different religious places individually, so we jumped at the chance to accompany a caravan of 20 male and female social workers leaving for India," he said.
Mohan said that travelling is the most expensive part of the pilgrimage and the affordable prices offered to the group were a major bonus. Each pilgrim will pay Rs. 40,000 for travel, board, food and lodging expenses for the three-week trip.
The group comprises young boys and girls, people from different professions and some elderly persons.
Gujarati-speaking Dhaili, who lives with her two married sons, said it was customary for newborns to get a haircut in the first five years of their life.
"Letting children keep their birth hair is frowned upon, so the children get a haircut and the hair is preferably submitted at holy places," she said.
While some Hindus immerse such hair in the Indus rivers, others dispose of it in the Arabian Sea. Some take it to India to immerse in the Ganges river or at other scared Hindu sites.
"My family knew that I would be leaving so they have given me
the responsibility of disposing of the hair," she said.
Dhailia also said the Ganges and Indus rivers are considered holy and anyone travelling from India to Pakistan brings water from the Ganges while Pakistanis take water from the Indus.
"I am very happy as my wish has finally been fulfilled," said 60-year-old Dhaili, who said she had been waiting to undertake this pilgrimage for several years. She carried five bags filled with coconuts, the hair of three children, bottles of water from the Indus river, 'prashad' from Hinglaj Mata's temple and sweets for Indian relatives.
The pilgrims will visit several holy places in India but the 'Daily Times' newspaper said that their primary aim was to visit the shrine of 'Shri Nath Jee' near Gaibsagar Jheel in Rajasthan for a festival to be held in late September. The group travelled to Lahore, from where it will leave for India on Tuesday via the Wagha border.
Another pilgrim, Mohan, expressed his delight at making his first trip to India. "Most of us wanted to visit different religious places individually, so we jumped at the chance to accompany a caravan of 20 male and female social workers leaving for India," he said.
Mohan said that travelling is the most expensive part of the pilgrimage and the affordable prices offered to the group were a major bonus. Each pilgrim will pay Rs. 40,000 for travel, board, food and lodging expenses for the three-week trip.
The group comprises young boys and girls, people from different professions and some elderly persons.
Gujarati-speaking Dhaili, who lives with her two married sons, said it was customary for newborns to get a haircut in the first five years of their life.
"Letting children keep their birth hair is frowned upon, so the children get a haircut and the hair is preferably submitted at holy places," she said.
While some Hindus immerse such hair in the Indus rivers, others dispose of it in the Arabian Sea. Some take it to India to immerse in the Ganges river or at other scared Hindu sites.
"My family knew that I would be leaving so they have given me
the responsibility of disposing of the hair," she said.
Dhailia also said the Ganges and Indus rivers are considered holy and anyone travelling from India to Pakistan brings water from the Ganges while Pakistanis take water from the Indus.
