INDORE: At a time when some state governments selectively helped and airlifted pilgrims of their state from flood-landslide torn Uttarakhand, three young cooks and sweet makers from Madhya Pradesh and Delhi exemplified unity and integrity in troubled times.
Forming part of an 81-strong group of pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh, including Indore, Rewa and Guna, the three young cooks Virendra Thakur (Sagar), Gal Bahadur Singh (Satna) and Hari Om (Delhi) not only ensured timely succor to their group members, but also prevented 50-100 pilgrims from other states, from being starved to death in the jungles near Mussoorie.
The group coordinated by a tour and travel operator from Indore, after offering prayers at Yamunotri shrine managed to climb down to a place near Mussoorie and erected a camp by themselves between June 17 and June 19.
"The trio started a big kitchen at the camp to ensure timely breakfast, lunch and dinner to the entire group, that had not eaten anything for two days," a member of the group Ravi Chauhan told TOI.
Chauhan, a native of Indore's Veena Nagar locality, who returned home with 23 other Indoreans (forming the group) on Tuesday, recounted that just when the big kitchen was started by the three young cooks, out of the provision which the group took along with it, the group came across 50-100 pilgrims from other states stranded in nearby jungles.
"These pilgrims (including children) hailing from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and UP, besides Chatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh were hungry and thirsty for at least three days and were virtually begging for food and water. Even before we could decide on how to help these pilgrims, the three cooks sprung into action," Chauhan added.
With the consent of the group from Madhya Pradesh, the cooks opened a totally free of cost bhandara for the other pilgrims, serving them timely lunch and dinner.
"Overwhelmed by their spirit, the members of the group even skipped one time food to ensure that our group as well as other pilgrims were served proper lunch and dinner from June 18 to June 20, before the army men came to the rescue of the stranded pilgrims," Chauhan reminisced.
The pilgrims, particularly those from Gujarat, included many wealthy families who had turned into virtual beggars, after having lost their vehicles and valuables in the flood and landslide were ready to got to any extent to save themselves from being starved to death.
Forming part of an 81-strong group of pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh, including Indore, Rewa and Guna, the three young cooks Virendra Thakur (Sagar), Gal Bahadur Singh (Satna) and Hari Om (Delhi) not only ensured timely succor to their group members, but also prevented 50-100 pilgrims from other states, from being starved to death in the jungles near Mussoorie.
The group coordinated by a tour and travel operator from Indore, after offering prayers at Yamunotri shrine managed to climb down to a place near Mussoorie and erected a camp by themselves between June 17 and June 19.
"The trio started a big kitchen at the camp to ensure timely breakfast, lunch and dinner to the entire group, that had not eaten anything for two days," a member of the group Ravi Chauhan told TOI.
Chauhan, a native of Indore's Veena Nagar locality, who returned home with 23 other Indoreans (forming the group) on Tuesday, recounted that just when the big kitchen was started by the three young cooks, out of the provision which the group took along with it, the group came across 50-100 pilgrims from other states stranded in nearby jungles.
"These pilgrims (including children) hailing from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and UP, besides Chatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh were hungry and thirsty for at least three days and were virtually begging for food and water. Even before we could decide on how to help these pilgrims, the three cooks sprung into action," Chauhan added.
With the consent of the group from Madhya Pradesh, the cooks opened a totally free of cost bhandara for the other pilgrims, serving them timely lunch and dinner.
"Overwhelmed by their spirit, the members of the group even skipped one time food to ensure that our group as well as other pilgrims were served proper lunch and dinner from June 18 to June 20, before the army men came to the rescue of the stranded pilgrims," Chauhan reminisced.
The pilgrims, particularly those from Gujarat, included many wealthy families who had turned into virtual beggars, after having lost their vehicles and valuables in the flood and landslide were ready to got to any extent to save themselves from being starved to death.
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