Religious tourism between India and Pakistan, is this a new attempt to improve relations?
The Pakistan Hindu Council is working on a plan to visit religious sites every month to bridge the gap between the two countries. The council claims that the governments of the two countries are also cooperating in this work.
Hindu devotees from India, the United States and the Gulf are renovating the 100-year-old Shri Paramahansa Maharaj Temple in Pakistan on New Year's Eve.
The delegation of Hindu pilgrims has a total of 173 devotees including five to six Americans, some Spanish nationals, some from Dubai and about 160 Indians. These devotees visit Hindu and Sikh places of worship in Pakistan.
Dr. Ramesh Kumar Wakwani, Chairman, Pakistan Hindu Council, said that this is a new initiative and through it, after 74 years, India-Pakistan relations can be expected to improve. Dr. Ramesh Kumar is a member of the National Assembly and has been in politics since 2002.
''I think that carrying on the love that has begun, I will come to India and take the devotees to Khwaja Nizamuddin and Ajmer Sharif. I plan to hold such a religious pilgrimage every month, so that Let the people of both countries come closer. I hope this helps to end their hatred,''He said.
But is this initiative only of Pakistan Hindu Council or also the governments of both the countries have any role in it?
Dr. Ramesh says that you can call it the initiative of Pakistan Hindu Council. The council has entered into an agreement with Pakistan International Airlines for this and is now going to sign an agreement with Air India.
"This would not have been possible without the help of the governments of the two countries. The governments have given permission for this, only then the people are getting visas and the devotees are being given security."
Under the council's initiative, a delegation of 173 pilgrims is visiting Hindu and Sikh places of worship in Pakistan. The journey also started from Shri Pramahans Ji Maharaj Temple built in your village. In the temple is the Samadhi of Saint Shri Parmansa Maharaj.
The delegation of Hindu devotees will meet the Speaker of the National Assembly on Monday at his invitation and also the Chief Justice.
Mahatma Param Nityanand, a devotee who went to Pakistan for religious tourism from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, is part of this delegation.
He said that we are returning after seeing Mr. Terry, we saw convenience everywhere, Pakistan Airlines had made good arrangements at the airport and the police is also helping.
In December 2020, a mob belonging to the hardline religious party vandalized and set fire to a temple built in Teri village in Karak district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The incident was widely criticized around the world.
''The government of Pakistan has supported us and now the temple has been completely rebuilt. Thanks to the efforts of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, all facilities have been provided here and that is why we have started religious tourism from your temple. Has started,''Dr. Ramesh says.
Last year, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed arrived at the temple to attend the Diwali celebrations. He said that every human being has the right to protect his religion.
Earlier in 2017, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice of the dilapidated condition of Katas Raj Temple.
Expressing displeasure over the absence of idols of Rama, Shiva and Hanuman in the Katas Raj Temple, he questioned why the administration was being negligent in the matter.
The court said that people of Hindu community from all over the world come to the temple. If there were no idols in the temple, how would they feel about the plight of the Hindu minority in Pakistan?
This temple was built about 100 years ago. But after the demolition, Justice Ahmed took notice of the incident and ordered repair of the temple.
Worryingly, tensions between Pakistan and India have risen over the past few years. Talks between the two are almost closed.
However, recently the governments of the two countries had opened the Kartarpur corridor for Sikh pilgrims. After the corridor opened in November last year, several groups of Indian Sikhs had reached Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.
The Kartarpur corridor was closed due to the corona virus outbreak and reopened 20 months later.