A missing son’s mysterious return after two decades has shaken up a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi district.
Pinku reportedly left his family’s home in Delhi in 2002 at the age of 11, after his father rebuked him for playing marbles.
Despite the family’s best efforts, he could not be found.
On Jan 27, he returned to Amethi’s Kharauli village, where the family originally hail from, as an ascetic.
The villagers immediately informed his parents who still reside in Delhi.
When they reached the village, they recognised Pinku from a scar on his body.
A video circulating on social media shows the emotional reunion between mother and son, reported Hindi daily Amar Ujala.
The man, in the traditional attire of an ascetic, is seen playing the sarangi, a three-stringed traditional musical instrument, and singing melancholic tunes while requesting alms from his mother.
He sings about King Bharthari, a central character of popular folklore, who left a prosperous kingdom to become a monk.
While the long-lost son sings, the video captures the mother weeping, reported NDTV.
The reunion, however, was short-lived.
Pinku took alms from his mother and left the village, despite the pleadings of his family and villagers.
His father Ratipal Singh later alleged that the religious sect that his son belongs to was asking for Rs1.1 million to release Pinku.
“I do not have Rs11 in my pocket, how can I pay Rs11 lakh?” the father rued.
Pinku clarified that his visit was not driven by family ties, but rather a religious ritual.
He explained that, in keeping with tradition, aspiring monks have to complete a ritual where they receive alms from their mother. This symbolic act marks their official transition into a monastic life.
Indo-Asian News Service
