MITHI: The three-day congregation marking the 46th death anniversary of revered Hindu saint Sant Nenuram got under way at his ashram in Islamkot town on Tuesday.

Crowds of Hindus, as well as Muslims, started pouring in to take part in the religious events though their number remained far below the usual annual gatherings as people from India could not make it due to visa curbs following recent tensions involving India and Pakistan over Kashmir.

Sant Nenuram’s ashram is frequented by devotees round the year. People keep presenting food, fodder and grain for visitors, animals and birds to the caretakers of the ashram and this tradition has been upheld since the early years of the 20th century.

Born in 1889, Sant Nenuram had established the ashram in his youthful years and devoted his entire life to the welfare of human beings and animals as custodian of the sanctuary.

Strict measures have been taken to ensure safety and security of devotees in view of the communal tension in the country caused these days due to strained Pakistan-India relations and the recent blasphemy-related violence in Ghotki.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2019