NGO comes forward for the dead

Vijay Upadhyay
Agra. The number of bodies of unidentified persons in Agra has been increasing at an alarming rate. There is nobody to cremate the dead and, as per the Hindu custom, to immerse the ashes after cremation in the Holy Ganga.

Seeking a way out, an Agra-based NGO has decided to do the needful. More than 700 unidentified bodies were found in Agra in the past two years. The NGO has decided to "adopt" such dead immerse the ashes.

It has already cremated 756 unidentified bodies discovered in the town from September 30, 2003 to December 31, 2005.

The NGO has now decided to also immerse the ashes -- though not in Gana but in Yamuna --for the deliverance of the dead.

Talking to The Pioneer, Ashok Goyal, Chairman, Kshetra Bajaja Committee Agra said the organisation has been working in Agra for 121 years and more than 25 years had passed since the organisation formally decided to "adopt" all unidentified bodies discovered by the police in Agra.

He said the committee has ever since taken charge of the cremation of bodies handed over to them by the police.

He said the organization also arranged for the safekeeping of the ashes for a period of two years in case the body is later recognised by the family and they demand the ashes.

According to Mr Goyal, the ashes, customarily kept in red kalash (pitchers), will be taken for immersion on April 6, followed by a huge procession men, women and children who will walk the entire route of 300-plus kilometres in the Braj region in six days.

He said the procession would reach the Keshi Ghat of the river Yamuna in the Vrindavan town of Mathura district on April 12, where the ashes would be finally poured in Yamuna for the deliverance of 756 dead.

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