ALLAHABAD: Holding a photograph of her son Krishna, whom she lost when a shell hit him at the India-Pakistan border, Champarani Sharma sits at a pandal in Sector 14 on the Kumbh Mela grounds all day, offering prayers.Krishna, who died in November last year, had turned 12 in June.All she wants and prays for now is global peace and end of terrorism."My village in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir is just a few kilometres away from Pakistan. People live there under the shadow of extreme fear, with exchange of gunfire a common occurrence. Many families like ours have lost their loved one in shelling," said Champarani. "The day I lost my son, the world seemed to be over for me. Krishna was the one who raised an alarm when shelling began. This saved his uncle and aunt and elder brother Shivpal, who managed to escape, but Krishna could not and got hit in the heart by a shell, she said, tears rolling down her eyes.I was out to fill water, my two daughters were outside the village for some work, while my elder son Shivpal -- who was in the house -- hid in the kitchen when shelling began. Shivpal too suffered multiple injuries with bomb shells hitting him. He has been operated on a number of times,” she added.“In a few minutes, our life crumbled. Krishna’s death broke my heart. Then, I came in touch with sadhu Balak Yogeshwar Das, who organized special prayers for martyrs in Samba. I realised that many mothers like me have lost their sons. Many of these young men sacrificed their lives to save the country by keeping the border secure,” added Champarani.Champarani has come to Kumbh along with two of her children so that they can pray not only for their brother but also for martyred soldiers. “We are praying for global peace and end of militancy,” she added.

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