Four siblings from Kosikalan, located approximately 75 kilometers from Faridabad, are undertaking a spiritual journey by participating in the Kanwar Yatra, carrying Gangajal with the fervent hope that Lord Shiva will intercede to help their parents settle their overdue school fees, which led to their expulsion.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the children, including 7-year-old Prerna who is in Class 3, Shivam in Class 7, another sibling in Class 9, and their elder sister Sadhna in Class 11, embarked on their pilgrimage from Haridwar on July 30 after collecting the holy water from the Ganga river.
The parents of the four children, Sunita and Bharat Singh, are both individuals with disabilities, and the family has been navigating significant financial challenges. According to the family, the inability to pay the tuition fees for several months resulted in the siblings being expelled from their private school. Faced with no immediate support from relatives or friends, the children made the decision to undertake the arduous pilgrimage, praying for divine intervention and a miracle from Lord Shiva.
The poignant story of the siblings has resonated with a large number of people, with videos documenting their journey gaining traction on social media platforms. In one circulated video, Sadhna explains that her parents’ disabilities have made it difficult for the family to consistently meet the financial obligations associated with the children’s education.
“For now, we are relying on faith and hope for a miracle. We are undertaking the Kanwar Yatra and praying that we get our school bags back,” Sadhna is heard saying in the video, expressing the family’s deep reliance on faith during this challenging period.
The children’s profound devotion has garnered widespread sympathy, simultaneously prompting discussions and questions regarding the potential role and intervention of local administration and relevant authorities in assisting the struggling family. This situation also underscores the broader challenges faced by economically disadvantaged families residing in and around the National Capital Region, highlighting disparities in access to essential opportunities and services.
The Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage undertaken by devotees of Lord Shiva during the Hindu month of Shravana. Participants, known as Kanwarias, travel to sacred rivers, collect water, and carry it back to their local Shiva temples to offer to the deity. The journey is often arduous, involving long walks, sometimes covering hundreds of kilometers, under challenging weather conditions, as a display of devotion and penance.
For the four siblings, this pilgrimage takes on a more critical and personal dimension, transforming a traditional act of faith into a desperate plea for educational continuity. Their expulsion from school due to unpaid fees signifies a significant disruption to their academic future, a future they are now entrusting to a higher power amidst their parents’ incapacitate circumstances. The family’s situation brings into sharp focus the intersection of disability, poverty, and access to education within communities that are often overlooked.
The increasing viral nature of their story on social media has brought their plight to the attention of a wider audience, sparking a mix of emotional responses and a collective wish for their prayers to be answered. While the traditional pilgrimage focuses on spiritual fulfillment, the siblings’ journey introduces a narrative of resilience and hope in the face of socio-economic adversity, making their participation in the Kanwar Yatra a profound testament to their determination and faith.
The Chenab Times News Desk