Jaipur: Nearly 300 pilgrims from Jaipur are currently stranded in Kathmandu after their visit to Pashupatinath Temple in the second week of Sept. They have been unable to return to India for the past six days due to persistent bad weather, although conditions have reportedly improved recently.In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, the pilgrims have written, “The vehicles arrived in Nepal on Sept 23. After the visit, the group stayed in Kathmandu. For nearly six days, the Indian travellers have been prevented from returning to India—ostensibly due to rain—even though the weather has been clear for the past two days.”The letter also highlighted the dire situation the pilgrims now face, saying, “We have exhausted all funds while fuel and rations are also unavailable. The elderly among us have been suffering from hunger and illness, stranded at the new bus parking. We earnestly request that arrangements be made to facilitate our return to India as soon as possible.”Travel agent Hanuman Sharma, who is accompanying the pilgrims, spoke to TOI Monday about their plight. He revealed that the group, which travelled in six buses, left Jaipur on Sept 13. “After reaching our destination and visiting the temple and a few other places, we were stuck in Kathmandu initially due to bad weather conditions. For four days we stayed at a hotel, but as our funds were running low, we had to leave the hotel and are now stuck at Balaju bus parking in Kathmandu. The weather has cleared now, but the local administration is not allowing us to leave,” Sharma said.
