Prayagraj: The grand spectacle of the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj has concluded, leaving behind echoes of devotion and faith. But for 869 families, the event has not truly ended. Their loved ones, who came seeking spiritual solace, vanished in the sea of millions, leaving them trapped in an unending wait.

The lost and found centre, once a beacon of hope, now stands in silence. The walls are still covered with fading posters—smiling faces that have now become symbols of sorrow. Some bear reward announcements, desperate attempts to bring back the ones who walked away and never returned.

Few Cases

Gyarsa Mali is one such name. His son, Dhanvesh Mali, still roams the streets of Prayagraj, holding onto the belief that his father, who set out for a holy dip, will be found. "We haven't gone home," Dhanvesh says. "He must be here. We even made a video, pleading for him to return." Every unanswered call, every fruitless search, only deepens the pain.

Then there is Preeti Kishore, a 45-year-old woman from Bihar. She had come with her husband, Dr. Neeraj Pankaj, on February 20. The sacred waters washed over her feet, but before she could take the next step with her family, she was gone— lost in the endless crowd. "I looked for her everywhere," Dr. Pankaj says. "Someone told me lost people often end up in Chitrakoot. So, I went there too. But I found nothing."

His voice, now hollow, carries the weight of a love turned into longing. Ajay Pandey, 60, was last seen at Naini railway station on February 16. He had come with his family to bathe in the Sangam, but in the journey back, he was lost. His family, now desperate, pleads with folded hands, seeking help from strangers, authorities— anyone who can show them a way back to him.

And then there’s Rekha Dwivedi. Unlike others, she was found. But she was never taken back. Her once loving family abandoned her at a shelter home in Araili, Prayagraj. Her husband, a well-respected figure, has turned away. Her sons, settled and successful, refuse to take her in. She sits by the window, watching the door, waiting for someone who will never return.

The Maha Kumbh saw 66.32 crore pilgrims over 45 days. The lost and found center worked tirelessly, reuniting over 35,000 separated individuals with their families. But for these 869 missing souls and the loved ones they left behind, the wait continues. Their prayers now are not for salvation, but for one more embrace, one more moment, one more chance to bring their family back together.