Lucknow

Two brothers Irshad and Shamshad were always interested in visiting Kashmir and hence they offered their services to the local Shiv Sewa Samiti of Kanpur. The committee sets up a service camp and langar (community kitchen) for Hindu pilgrims at Baltal, one of the two base camps for the Amarnath pilgrimage.

The brothers met BJP MP Raghunandan Bhaduria, who heads the Shiv Sewak committee in Kanpur, and offered their services to him. The duo runs a truck and they offered to carry the goods from Kanpur to Baltal for the Committee at a reasonable rate.

However, after reaching Baltal with the goods and five e-rickshaws of the committee, they decided to join the volunteers who were facilitating the pilgrimage and helping the devotees coming from far-off places in the country.

First of all, they visited the Holy cave of Lord Shiva to seek his blessings, and, after return, they said they felt like staying to serve the people. This meant that they would have to park their truck at Baltal and not earn anything in that period. They started helping with chores at the camp and then started plying five e-rickshaws to ferry the elderly and those in need over a distance of 2.5 km from Baltal to Barari. Irshad and Shamshad said at times, after dropping the pilgrims from their e-rickshaw some of them were panting and needed help while trekking to the cave from Gyan Giri Ashram. “They have to be supported,” Irshad said.

 

Both brothers extend their service in providing support to about 180-200 elderly, disabled, and other devotees who are unable to trek without support. 

They said they had heard the great “glory of Baba.” They had a desire to visit the cave once they got the opportunity on the pretext of delivering goods. 

“We felt we should also do service to Him; this is the biggest religion.”

Both the brothers were heavily engaged in helping the pilgrims after the cloud burst and flash floods halted the pilgrimage for a few days and resulted in the deaths of at least 16 persons.

The brothers hail from Kanpur city of Uttar Pradesh. In recognition of their services, the authorities have issued them the card of sevadars.  Irshad and Shamshad had reached Baltal much before the pilgrimage had started, traversing all boundaries of religion and faith and with the spirit of fostering harmony and brotherhood. Shiv Sevak Samiti provides langar (community food services) and other facilities for Amarnath devotees at Baltal every year. This year also, the committee is running a service camp. BJP MP Bhaduria is personally present at the Shiv camp to oversee the services being provided to the pilgrims and to cheer up the volunteers like Irshad and Shamshad.

Also Read: Kashmiri Muslim officers spend Eid at Amarnath cave to rescue pilgrims

Irshad and Shamshad earn their living by driving a loader in Kanpur. They live in the Johi Gadha area of ​​the city. They had lost their father when they were very young and were brought up by their mother, who used to sell vegetables.