Nagpur: After days of uncertainty, disrupted travel plans and a nerve-racking journey through flood-ravaged Nepal, more than 100 pilgrims from Nagpur finally returned home at 4.30am on Sunday, triggering emotional scenes of reunion at the railway station.Family members who had spent anxious days tracking developments from across the border gathered at the station long before the train arrived. As the exhausted pilgrims stepped onto the platform, they were greeted with hugs, tears and visible relief. Former mayor Dayashankar Tiwari welcomed several returnees with garlands and flowers, turning the arrival into an emotional homecoming.For many, the moment felt surreal. Asha Pandey, whose mobile phone was swept away during the floods, said the joy of seeing her loved ones again was overwhelming. “For four days I had no way to contact them, let alone see them. After everything we went through, being back with them feels like a blessing,” she said, struggling to hold back tears.The group’s troubles began to unfold on August 26 while they were visiting Sanga, near Kathmandu, home to one of the world’s tallest statues of Lord Mahadev. “We were supposed to spend the evening shopping afterwards, but the programme had to be cancelled,” recalled tourist Sushila Monde. “At first, I was disappointed. But once we realised the scale of the disaster around us, shopping was the last thing on our minds,” Monde told TOI.The travellers returned to their accommodation and prepared to leave Kathmandu the following morning as planned. On August 27, they checked out and set off towards India-Nepal border in two 45-seater Indian buses and an 18-seater vehicle.Their first attempt, however, ended abruptly. “Several stretches of the road were under water, while some portions had been badly damaged or completely washed away,” Monde said, adding, “Nepal authorities stopped our vehicles and instructed us to return to Kathmandu for our safety.”Having already checked out of their hotel, the group suddenly found itself stranded. Amid the uncertainty, traveller Yogesh Gawande stepped in to coordinate help. He contacted Nagpur MLA Pravin Datke, who escalated the matter to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and a fresh evacuation plan was soon put in place.“The larger Indian vehicles could not continue on the damaged roads, so four smaller Nepal-registered vehicles were arranged,” Gawande said. “The local drivers knew the terrain well and were experienced in navigating the difficult conditions.”On the morning of August 28, at around 6am, the group set out once again. This time, the journey was slow and cautious as the convoy negotiated narrow roads, flood-affected stretches and challenging weather conditions on its way towards Janakpur.After spending nearly entire day on the road, the travellers reached Bhithamore checkpoint near Sitamarhi in Bihar around 4.30pm. “From the border, Indian vehicles took us to Sitamarhi, where the local administration and police helped us with medical check-ups, food and accommodation,” Gawande said. “We were finally able to rest and freshen up after days of hardship.”The group later travelled to Patna, arriving in the early hours before being accommodated for the night. On August 29, they boarded a train bound for Nagpur at around 7am. Nearly four days after their struggle began, the journey finally came to an end.When the train rolled into Nagpur before dawn on Sunday, the exhaustion of the previous days gave way to overwhelming relief. For worried families waiting on the platform, it was not just the arrival of a train. It was the return of their loved ones from an ordeal that few of them are likely to forget.
