Lucknow/Bithoor: In a deeply moving act of compassion and devotion, a local social service organization Ek Koshish Aisi Bhi performed the final rituals for 40 unclaimed bodies, ensuring their peaceful spiritual release through a solemn prayer ceremony in Bithoor, a sacred site on the banks of the Ganga.
Driven by an emotional connection akin to love — one that transcends the conventional — the volunteers described their bond with these nameless, forgotten souls as “a strange kind of love.” Their journey did not end with cremation. True to the belief that no task should be left incomplete, the group transported the ashes sealed in clay urns from Lucknow to Bithoor, where an elaborate ritual for salvation (moksha) was performed with the help of a local priest.
Each urn, adorned with red wedding cloths, symbolized the dignity and respect every human deserves in both life and death. These sacred relics were then respectfully immersed, as per Hindu traditions, granting closure to those who died with no one to claim them.
“Like an aghori is drawn to the mystic realm, I feel an inexplicable affection for these abandoned souls,” said a volunteer. “There is a peace in doing this work — a quiet fulfillment in offering a final resting grace to those the world forgot.”
This isn’t the first time such a ceremony has taken place. During Pitru Paksha, the organization also organizes community feasts (bhandaras) across various parts of Lucknow in the memory of the unclaimed departed.
The organizers extended their heartfelt thanks to the priest in Bithoor, whose rituals made the event complete.
“We did what we felt was right, guided by our understanding and conscience. The rest is in the hands of the Divine,” they said.
In a world often overwhelmed by indifference, this act stands as a powerful reminder that even those who leave the world unaccompanied deserve a respectful farewell and a chance at spiritual peace.
