A group of 68 Hindu devotees from Sindh, Pakistan, arrived in Prayagraj on Thursday to take part in the Maha Kumbh and bathe in the sacred waters of the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati. The devotees performed rituals and prayed for the peace of their ancestors' souls.

According to the Uttar Pradesh Information Department, the group, led by Mahant Ramnath, performed prayers at the Sangam and offered blessings for their forefathers. Prior to arriving at the Maha Kumbh, they had visited Haridwar, where they immersed the ashes of nearly 480 ancestors.

Gobind Ram Makheja, a member of the group from Sindh, expressed his deep desire to attend the event. "Ever since we heard about the Maha Kumbh in the past few months, we felt a strong longing to come. We just couldn't stop ourselves," he told PTI.

This group of 68 people, from six districts of Sindh—Ghotki, Sukkur, Khairpur, Shikarpur, Karkot, and Jatabal—includes nearly 50 first-time visitors to the holy event.

Makheja shared his joy and awe, saying, "It is a joyous, overwhelming feeling. I have no words to express it. Being here makes us proud of our Sanatan Dharma heritage." Surbhi, an 11th-grade student from Ghotki, also attending for the first time, said, "For the first time, I am deeply understanding and witnessing my religion. It feels wonderful."

Priyanka, a homemaker from Sindh, echoed similar feelings, saying, "This is my first time in India and at the Maha Kumbh. Seeing our culture here is a divine experience. Contrary to what the media portrays, there isn't much discrimination against Hindus in Sindh. However, witnessing our heritage in India is an unparalleled experience."

Niranjan Chawla from Sukkur spoke about the challenges faced by Hindus in some parts of Pakistan and urged the Indian government to simplify the visa process. He also expressed gratitude for the ease with which their visas were processed this time.

The group plans to visit Raipur on February 8 before heading to Haridwar to immerse the urns containing their ancestors’ ashes. Chawla added, "This evening, we will visit saints from the Akharas and explore the grand fair."