Exclusive: By keeping the dead body in the temple, the last farewell is taken from Kanha, Gopal Mandir was built in 1957 on the decision of Panchs
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People of Refugee Colony carrying the dead body to Gopal Mandir. Photo: Amar Ujala.
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Uprooted from their roots and settled many miles away, the people of the Refugee Colony located in Mohaddipur are connected to their culture with the same intensity even today. They are carrying out the traditions in the same way as they used to do at their native place. Even today, if someone in their family leaves his body, then these people take his body to the Gopal Mandir. They bid their last farewell to Kanha (Lord Krishna) in the hope that the departed soul will find a place in heaven. After this the funeral procession begins.
After the country’s independence, 50 to 60 families who came from Pakistan took shelter in Gorakhpur. These people had come to find shelter with relatives already living there. In the year 1951-52, the government made a colony in Mohaddipur for the residence of such people, which was named Refugee Colony. Now this colony has come to be known as Ramnagar Colony.
Most of the people living in this colony belong to the Sikh community. Their forefathers consider Lord Krishna as their presiding deity. Even in Pakistan, after the Gurudwara, Shri Krishna used to take the dead body to the temple itself and give him the last farewell. This tradition is being followed here as well. Jagdish Anand of the colony tells that we have faith in Lord Krishna. It is believed that the dead body gets a place in heaven after bidding farewell to God in Gopal Mandir. Father tells that this tradition has been going on for many generations.
Makhanlal Anand, 92, who lives in the colony, says that in the year 1957, the panchayat met and the panches decided that a temple of Lord Krishna would be built. The tradition of ancestors will be carried out in the same way as it was done in Pakistan. After this the Gopal temple was built by placing the idol of Radha-Krishna. It was later given a grand look.
Deepak Kakkar, president of the Shree Shree Gopal Mandir Committee, said that the tradition has been going on since the time of the forefathers. The people of the colony worship Lord Krishna. Gopal goes to the temple and bows his head. After death, the dead body is taken to the temple. During this, all the people of the colony are together. The dead body is kept in the temple for two minutes. The priests of the temple sprinkle Gangajal by chanting mantras. The funeral procession begins with the wish that the dead soul finds a place in heaven.
Detailed
Uprooted from their roots and settled many miles away, the people of the Refugee Colony located in Mohaddipur are connected to their culture with the same intensity even today. They are carrying out the traditions in the same way as they used to do at their native place. Even today, if someone in their family leaves his body, then these people take his body to the Gopal Mandir. They bid their last farewell to Kanha (Lord Krishna) in the hope that the departed soul will find a place in heaven. After this the funeral procession begins.
After the country’s independence, 50 to 60 families who came from Pakistan took shelter in Gorakhpur. These people had come to find shelter with relatives already living there. In the year 1951-52, the government made a colony in Mohaddipur for the residence of such people, which was named Refugee Colony. Now this colony has come to be known as Ramnagar Colony.
Most of the people living in this colony belong to the Sikh community. Their forefathers consider Lord Krishna as their presiding deity. Even in Pakistan, after the Gurudwara, Shri Krishna used to take the dead body to the temple itself and give him the last farewell. This tradition is being followed here as well. Jagdish Anand of the colony tells that we have faith in Lord Krishna. It is believed that the dead body gets a place in heaven after bidding farewell to God in Gopal Mandir. Father tells that this tradition has been going on for many generations.
Ritika
