LARKANA: Hundreds of Sikh yatris (pilgrims) from Sindh and Balochistan were stranded at Larkana railway station on Thursday due to inordinate delay in the arrival of the train they had booked in advance for pilgrimage to Nankana Sahib to attend the 549th birth anniversary celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh faith.

Frustrated over the long wait the pilgrims who had started arriving at the railway station early in the morning to catch the train which was to reach Larkana at 10am but arrived after over 10-hour delay at 8.30pm, they staged protest and said the undue delay had deprived them of participating in the first day of the birthday celebrations of their revered Guru.

Pilgrims Bhawandas, Sanji Kumar, Sunil and Suresh complained to journalists about inadequate facilities at the railway station and said the railway staff kept telling them the train was about to arrive soon but it did not and only added to their frustration and mental exhaustion.

They termed it sheer injustice as the train had been booked in August and full fare had been paid in advance. The treatment meted out to them was simply unacceptable, they said.

“We will surely miss the opening day ceremony of the birth anniversary and will barely be able to catch the third day’s celebrations after 18-hour long journey,” they said.

Dr Dharampal, president of Hindu Panchayat Committee, said that he had rushed to Shikarpur after he was told the train was delayed.

Nanik Bijaj criticised the railway authorities for mistreatment of yatris and said local dharmashala volunteers helped the pilgrims at the railway station and provided them food and whatever they needed to ease their long wait.

Murli Dhar, a pilgrim, said that 10 coaches had been booked in advance for 734 yatris but unfortunately they had to wait 10 long hours before they could set out on their journey.

They were told the train had been delayed due to heavy smog in Punjab, they said.

The station master, however, denied mistreatment of yatris and said all facilities including drinking water and security had been provided to the pilgrims.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2017