Reuniting families since 1946

ALLAHABAD: Brothers separated at Kumbh Mela, reuniting after almost a decade and a happy ending may sound little bit unrealistic and filmy. But, that is a feat, which has been accomplished by Raja Ram Tewari, who has been able to reunite more than 9 lakh persons with their families.

The noble deed was started by octogenarian Tewari in 1946 and so far, he has already reunited over 9.28 lakh persons with their families. These were the persons, who got separated from their families for some reason or the other, strayed, or simply ran away.

This year too, Magh Mela is one such occasion, when the services of the octogenarian and his team are much in demand. So, they have already set up "Bhoole Bhatke shivir" and have reunited over 700 persons since January 14,2011.

"Since 1946, we have reunited 9,29,301 people including 18,905 children with their families during five Maha Kumbhs, six Ardh Kumbhs and 53 Magh Melas," said shivir volunteers. Tewari said, "When a person meets his family member through our efforts, it means that God has accepted our prayer."

Pointedly, Mela and police administration is also thankful to the volunteers of Bhoole Bhakte Shivir for their continuous efforts. "A group of 20 police personnel including women cops have been assisting the volunteers, who also take care of victims till their family members arrive at the shivir," said DIG/SSP Ramkumar while talking to TOI on Tuesday.

He further added that the volunteers not only try to ensure that the strayed persons are united, but they also make sure that the missing children, aged couples and women get proper shelter.

The mela administration has installed loudspeakers in and around mela campus, where announcements are being made about the missing persons and request is being made to the family members to reach the shivir to take their missing family member. The announcement are made round the clock by the volunteers and cops as well.

"After receiving inputs regarding a lost person, volunteers announce their details on the public address system" said a volunteer of the shivir adding that the details were also passed to police stations and police outpost being set up at mela campus.

Most of the time, the relentless effort of the volunteers bears fruit and they manage to trace the lost persons and send them to their proper destinations.

A determined Tewari said, "I would be organising shivir till my last breath." 83-year-old Tewari had visited Magh Mela in 1943 for the first time along with his friends and decided to offer assistance to people, whose family members were somehow lost.

Ironically, Tewari and his volunteers are working on their own and mela the administration had never offered them funds for the same. Sometimes, devotees donate money to run the camp.

Apart from reuniting the families, volunteers are also making pilgrims and devotees aware about social evils like  dowry system and pollution.