Pakistani Hindus undertake spiritual journey in Haridwar, immerse ancestors’ ashes in Ganga

A group of 223 Hindu pilgrims from the Sindh province of Pakistan embarked on a religious journey to India. Arriving at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar, they performed a solemn ceremony, immersing the ashes of their ancestors in the sacred waters of the River Ganga with traditional rites.

For many years, these pilgrims had kept the ashes of their loved ones with them. By immersing the ashes of their ancestors in the sacred waters of the River Ganga on Sunday, they believe that their ancestors will attain salvation, as per Hindu scriptures which state that immersion of ashes in the Ganga will lead to liberation of ancestors soul.

Facilitated by special visas granted by the Indian government, these Pakistani pilgrims first visited various religious sites across India. Their pilgrimage culminated with a visit to the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, a moment they considered incredibly auspicious. Today, they fulfilled their duty by immersing their ancestors’ ashes in the holy waters of Har Ki Pauri.

Speaking to ANI, one of the Pakistani pilgrims shared, “Our journey spans 25 days. We arrived in Haridwar yesterday, carrying the ashes of my father.”

Expressing their difficulties in travelling from Pakistan to India, the pilgrims urged the Indian government to streamline the visa process. They emphasised the importance of receiving visas on time to ease their pilgrimage.