‘Kumbh yajna makes me feel in touch with martyr husband’ ALLAHABAD: The smell of burning incense sticks hangs thick. Chants of sadhus echo all over. But, this pandal at Sector 14 of the Kumbh Mela ground stands out. Here, a Tricolour flies atop the tent and yajnas begin and end with singing of the national anthem . And, a number of huts surround the tent situated at the centre.This is 'Shaheedon Ki Basti', where prayers are being offered for martyrs who lost their lives during the Kargil war and terror attacks in the country. On January 31, a number of families of martyrs will stay in the huts here and take part in the yajna.One-hundred-and-eight hawan kunds have been set up by a sadhu, Balak Yogeshwar Das, from Badrinath. He has organized 33 such yajnas across the country to pay homage and pray for martyred soldiers. While Das organized hawans during the last Kumbh here in 2013, this year, he has added huts to create the 'Shaheedon Ki Basti' so that the families can stay together. Family members of Kargil martyrs said they will be part of the yajna at Kumbh mela to pray that the departed souls attain 'moksha.' And, they hope people coming to the Kumbh will learn about their sacrifice alive as they visit the special tent.Veena Jasrotia, mother of Major Ajay Singh Jasrotia, who lost his life when he was just 28 on June 15, 1999 during the Kargil War, told TOI on phone from Jammu: "People have short memory . A soldier sacrifices his life to save the nation but is remembered only for a few days. The yajna at Kumbh will not only give me the strength to bear the pain of losing my young son but will also keep the sacrifice and bravery of my son alive in people's minds.""I have been a part of all yajnas for martyrs organized by Balak Yogeshwar Das. It brings together all proud mothers like me to make people recall the bravery of soldiers at the border and their sacrifices for the nation," said Veena, her voice heavy with emotion.Jasrotia met Balak Yogeshwar Das during a religious gathering at Jammu and Kashmir in 2003 and have been the part of the yajya organized by him during the Mahakumbh in 2013 and at Kumbhs in Haridwar and Ujjain.Not only mothers, but widows of martyrs and sisters who have lost their brothers will also be visiting Kumbh Mela to join prayers and yajnas for the martyrs.“Performing yajna at Kumbh makes me feel that I am there with my husband. The gathering is of people who have lost their close ones like me,” said Tavinder Kaur, wife of Naik Sukhjeet Singh, who lost his life at Tiger Hill, in Kargil War, on July 14, 1999.She said there was a time when the loss had broken her completely. “But, it was ‘Maharajji’ (Balak Yogeshwar Das), whom I met during a yajna near my village in Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir, showed me the path to handle every situation. Since then, I have been offering prayers for my husband and other soldier’s souls to rest in peace,” said Kaur. Kanchan, sister of sepoy Udhay Maan Singh, who died at Tiger hill on July 5, 1999, during the Kargil War, said that the yajna for ‘shaheeds’ organised by Balak Yogeshwar Das has helped her family cope with the shock of the demise of her elder brother.“We were three siblings --two sisters and a brother. The death of my brother had shaken up my parents. It was this homage gathering which helped them,” said Kanchan.“This is the fifth Kumbh in which Yagya for the martyrs will be held. Yajnas have been held for martyrs in Kumbhs at Ujjain, Haridwar, Nasik and Allahabad. It’s a tribute to the soldiers,” said Balak Yogeshwar Das.Das held the first such event in 2003, after which he was joined by a number of martyrs’ families.

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