Bhoole Bhatke shivir to serve pilgrims from Jan 4

Prayagraj: Continuing with the decades-old legacy, Bhoole Bhatke Shivir, also known as Lost & Found camp, is all set to serve millions of pilgrims arriving for the annual religious fair – Magh Mela, with its team of volunteers from January 4. Magh Mela is commencing from January 6, 2023 on the occasion of Paush Purnima snan. This Magh Mela, the volunteers will be serving the pilgrims and devotees under the theme “Surakshit Ghar Wapsi” (Ensure Safe Return to Home). Moreover, this will be 77thconsecutive year when the volunteers will be scripting success stories of reuniting lost people with their families.
Volunteers of Bhoole Bhatke shivir have been reuniting people who get separated from their families in fairs like Magh Mela,Ardh Kumbh and Kumbh, ever since its founder late Raja Ram Tiwari started the camp in 1946 on mela campus. When Tiwari died in August, 2016 at the age of 88, his son Umesh Tiwari took over the organisation. Tiwari, organiser of the camp, told TOI that Bhoole Bhatke Shivir will come up in sector 2 of the mela ground, that is, on Triveni road and will start functioning from January 4. He, however, said “Initially, we have invited local volunteers from Sangam city and Pratapgarh in view of the emerging Covid scenario and more volunteers from other districts and states would be called after January 14, when required. Tiwari, meanwhile, said, “A group of 20-25 active volunteers will be joining and performing their duties on mela campus from day 1 (January 4) and would be staying camp till the last main snan of Mahashivratri on February 18”. “Volunteers have reunited over 25 lakh missing people with their families since the formation of the shivir, and every year, ” said Tiwari adding, “We have chalked out an elaborate plan for grand annual fair”.
“A team of volunteers will be deployed at all five sectors who would look for lost people and take them to the camp until they are reunited,” he added. Apart from making frequent announcements, Tiwari mentioned that this Magh Mela, the volunteers will circulate details of missing people on social media platforms, and also form groups on popular messaging apps to reunite families.