Srinagar: After waiting for more than 28 years, Kashmiri Pandits from J&K House in New Delhi on Monday are now travelling back to their homelands in search of their lost homes.
As many as three buses and seven cars will be carrying more than a hundred Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland in J&K province of whom many are travelling back after 28 long years, Indian Express reported.
The group called this ‘yatra’ to their ‘Matrabhumi’, “on the auspicious day of Zysetha Asthami”, will have their first stop at the temple of Mata Kheer Bhawani which is on the outskirts of Srinagar.
It was Yatra’s organizer – CM Mufti who had initiated this yatra by extending an invitation to Kashmiri Pandits to return back to the valley which was followed by the group members plans to search for their lost homes.
“Not just the Pandits, but the Muslims and Sikhs who lived with us, were all like family, this is an attempt to reunite with them as well,” said Satish Mahaldar, member of the Kashmiri Educational and Cultural Society.
He added, “We also want to see for ourselves whether the assurances provided to us are true in spirit. We are putting our trust in the Chief Minister and Prime Minister with the hope that these are not just election promises.”
The travel arrangements are made by the J&K government and “all expenses will be borne by the state”.