Odisha: Elder lost before Rath Yatra set to return home after over 10 years
Kolkata, July 14
Bela Behera from Odisha will finally get to watch the Puri Rath Yatra after a gap of over 10 years. After spending a decade at an old-age home in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal, she will be returning home to Ganjam in Odisha soon.
According to her family, Bela, who is now in her late 70s, had left home to get flowers before the Rath Yatra more than 10 years ago, but did not return. All efforts to trace her failed. Bela had brought her three sons up by selling flowers. Even after her sons became established and she started living with the youngest, with her grandchildren, she did not give up her trade altogether. That was the reason behind her leaving home on that fateful day.
It is not known how she got to the Murshidabad district of West Bengal, though. She was rescued from the street there by the police and produced before a court that ordered her to be sent to the old age home.
"The government-run Tokia Citizen Home for the elderly became her address thereafter. The police made all efforts to trace her family, but failed. One reason was that she knew no other language but Odia.
She was also unable to provide any address," said Ambarish Nag Biswas, secretary of the West Bengal Radio Club (WBRC), an organisation of Amateur Radio Operators that has reunited hundreds of such people with their families till now.
Recently, a court once again ordered authorities to trace her family, but they were unable to do so. Finally, Arpita Lahiri, superintendent of the old age home, got in touch with the WBRC and provided all details.
"It took some doing, but our friends in the Ganjam district finally succeeded in tracing her family. We connected her to her son Keshav through a video call, and both of them broke down in tears. The son said that Bela would take her to the Rath Yatra in Puri every year. However, after she went missing, Keshav's family stopped visiting Puri during the festival. They would only pray to Lord Jagannath for the safe return of their mother," Nag Biswas said.
Keshav is now on his way to Murshidabad to fetch his mother, who is keen to visit Puri this year. "With Lord Jagannath's blessings, we just pray that her wish comes true after so many years," the WBRC secretary said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The role of the West Bengal Radio Club here is commendable. With all the modern technology, sometimes ham radio operators and local networks still make the biggest difference in reuniting families. It's a reminder that community effort and persistence can solve what official channels fail to do.
What a powerful story of resilience. She never gave up her trade even after her sons were settled—that's the spirit of so many Indian mothers. It's sad that a language barrier delayed her return for so long, but I'm glad technology and good samaritans helped in the end.
It's heartbreaking to think she spent 10 years in a government old-age home, unable to communicate in Odia. The system needs to do better with language access and mental health support for elderly persons found wandering. But this reunion is a beautiful ray of hope. Welcome home, Maa Bela.
Kudos to Arpita Lahiri and the West Bengal Radio Club for not giving up on her. Her son's family stopped visiting Puri after she went missing—that shows how much she meant to them. Praying that she makes it to the Rath Yatra this year and gets the darshan she's waited a decade for.
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