"Message of peace": 93 Hindus from Pakistan felicitated at Puri Jagannath temple

A Hindu team of 93 people from Pakistan on Monday visited the Jagannath Temple in Odisha's Puri. The team was also felicitated in Bhubaneswar by Omkarnath Mission, which organised their visit in association with Odisha International Center.

"This is our message of peace to the world," said Kinkar Vitthal Ramanuj Maharaj, founder of Omkarnath Mission.

Before visiting Jagannath Temple, the team went to Haridwar.

"There are people from Islamabad, Karachi, and Balochistan among other places in Pakistan, who have come here to attend this event. The main aim behind coming here was to visit various religious places here. We hope that the governments on both the sides maintain peace so that people from both the sides can travel from one side to another," said Prabhu Sai Atma Ram, a member of the team.

Another one added, "We have got one month visa to visit various religious places here. Before this, we went to Haridwar and Rishikesh. From here, we will now visit Mathura and Vrindavan." 

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Earlier, Shri Sita Ram temple in Ayodhya hosted an Iftar meal on Monday in its premises. Setting an example of communal harmony, people cutting across religious lines, sat together to relish the Iftar meal in the premises of the temple.

The priest of the temple Yugal Kishor said, "This is the third time we have organised an Iftar party. I will continue to do the same in the future as well. We should celebrate every festival with great zeal."

Echoing similar sentiments, an attendee Mujammil Fiza said that he also celebrates Navratri with his Hindu friends every year. "People with an agenda do not want communities to come together and hold an event like this. In a country where people play politics in the name of religion, people like Yugal Kishor send out a message of love," he added.