Search the Internet          Tips

Thousands lost and found at Kumbh

While millions swarmed the Kumbh Mela area spread across the seemingly endless sandy river banks, it was the 'lost and found' camp at the very gateway to the distant Sangam that remained most active throughout the day.

Run by the Bharat Sewa Dal, a social voluntary body, the camp registered as many as 5,634 complaints until Sunday evening - the highest in any single day since the mela opened on January 9. "More than 70 per cent of the those reported lost were men, while the rest were women and children," said an official at the camp that was meticulously keeping a record in registers.

About 180 women and 15 children were reported to be still left behind in another neighbouring camp for lost and found women and children.

Loudspeakers hanging out of every second lamp-post in the mela area kept blaring with announcements of the 'lost' persons. The first announcements began even before daybreak as thousands of people began pouring in for the customary dip from midnight.

"We have managed to reunite more than 80 per cent of the missing persons," said Ramanand Tiwari, the convenor of the camp.

"There were still about 1,000 men and women in our camp. We were taking care of them and providing them meals and also shelter for the night," he said.

While the voluntary organisation, with its limited resources, could only repeat the announcements, the mela administration had been urged to provide the logistics to ensure the missing people are reunited with their families.

In all, some 13,500 persons were registered at the camp during the first six days of the Kumbh Mela.

Complete coverage of the Kumbh Mela

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report