{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Elderly Samba Couple Performs Pind Daan for Departed Son at Gaya Pretshila",
  "summary": "Eighty-year-old Kartar Singh and his wife Vimla Devi travelled from Samba in Jammu and Kashmir to Gaya to offer Pind Daan for their son Parth Singh, who died in a road crash eight years ago.",
  "content": "A poignant moment unfolded at the base of Pretshila Hill during the ongoing Pitru Paksha Mela in Gaya, Bihar, as an elderly couple from Jammu and Kashmir arrived to offer funeral rites for their departed son. Eighty-year-old Kartar Singh and his wife Vimla Devi, residents of Breekmila village in Samba district, carried a framed photograph of their son, Parth Singh, throughout the sacred rituals. Overcome with grief while remembering him, Vimla Devi repeatedly covered her face with her dupatta to conceal her streaming tears. Gathering their composure with great effort, the aging parents completed the ceremonial Pind Daan at the Pretshila Pindvedi to pray for the peace of his soul.\n\nFatal Road Mishap During Training Transit Cut Short a Young Life\nThe tragedy dates back approximately eight years, when a devastating road crash claimed the lives of four personnel on duty, including Parth Singh. At the time of the incident, Parth Singh was only about 25 years old. He was travelling alongside fellow personnel from Punjab towards Jammu and Kashmir for official training when their vehicle met with an accident en route. The sudden passing of their young son sent profound shockwaves through the entire household. It took around eight years before his elderly parents could undertake the journey to Gaya to perform the traditional soul-liberating rites on his behalf.\n\nCherished Memories and Familial Support in Samba\nThroughout the offerings, Kartar Singh and Vimla Devi kept their eyes fixed on their late son's portrait. Mangal Singh, a relative who accompanied the elderly couple to Gaya, shared that Parth Singh's memories remain deeply etched in the family's daily life, noting that the fateful day of the crash is impossible for the household to ever put behind them. Kartar Singh has another son who resides in their native village, where he earns his livelihood through agriculture and tends to the daily needs and care of his aging parents.\n\nSignificance of Pretshila for Untimely and Accidental Deaths\nIn the pilgrimage traditions of Gaya, Pretshila Hill holds a unique standing specifically for ancestors and relatives who met an untimely, accidental, or unnatural demise. Devotees from diverse corners of the country travel here during Pitru Paksha to seek spiritual liberation for souls taken by unforeseen circumstances. Reaching the elevated shrine of Pretshila requires pilgrims to ascend roughly 676 stone steps. Ceremonies and oblations are also conducted near Brahmakund, situated at the foot of the hill, where families gather to pay heartfelt homage to their departed loved ones.\n\nWhat this means for you\nThis incident highlights the religious customs associated with rites for untimely demise at Gaya and the practical conditions faced by elderly pilgrims visiting from distant states.\n\n• For Devotees: Pretshila Hill and the adjoining Brahmakund serve as the designated sites in Gaya for souls lost to accidental or premature deaths. Pilgrims who find steep climbs difficult can perform these solemn rites at the designated altars situated at the foot of the hill.\n• Access and Navigation: Accessing the summit shrine of Pretshila requires navigating roughly 676 steps. Families travelling with senior citizens should evaluate physical endurance beforehand and check for local palanquin assistance if needed.\n• For Residents of Samba and J&K: The account underscores the long-lasting emotional toll on elderly families who lose earning members serving on active duty. Community and family support remain essential when aging parents undertake arduous interstate journeys for memorial duties.\n• Pilgrimage Planning: High turnout during the Pitru Paksha festival necessitates advance planning for lodging and transit in Gaya. Companions of elderly visitors should arrange necessary medication and rest intervals to manage the physically demanding rituals.\n\nWhy this happened\nThis touching journey stems from a fatal vehicular crash eight years prior and the traditional funeral customs prescribed for individuals who meet an accidental death.\n\n• The Fatal Transit Incident: Approximately eight years ago, a military vehicle carrying personnel from Punjab to Jammu and Kashmir for specialised training suffered a severe crash. The collision instantly claimed the lives of four personnel, including 25-year-old Parth Singh.\n• Customs for Unnatural Demise: Traditional funerary rites prescribe Pretshila Hill in Gaya as the specific pilgrimage site for souls who died premature or sudden deaths. The aging parents undertook the journey to offer formal oblations aimed at securing peace for their son's departed soul.\n• Delayed Journey Due to Shock and Age: Recovering from the sudden loss and preparing for an arduous interstate pilgrimage took the octogenarian couple nearly eight years. Practical assistance from their other son, who tends family farmland in Samba, enabled the elderly parents to travel to Gaya.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. Who travelled to Gaya to perform the Pind Daan rituals?\nEighty-year-old Kartar Singh and his wife Vimla Devi, from Breekmila village in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, travelled to Gaya to perform the rituals for their son.\n\n2. How and when did Parth Singh lose his life?\nAbout eight years ago, Parth Singh, aged 25, died alongside three other personnel when their vehicle met with an accident while traveling from Punjab to Jammu and Kashmir for training.\n\n3. What is the specific significance of Pretshila Hill in Gaya?\nAccording to traditional customs, Pretshila Hill is dedicated to offering Pind Daan for ancestors and family members who suffered untimely, accidental, or unnatural deaths.\n\n4. How many steps must pilgrims climb to reach Pretshila Hill?\nDevotees need to climb approximately 676 stone stairs to reach the sacred site atop Pretshila Hill.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/national/gaya-ki-pretshila-para-samba-ke-bujurga-dnpati-ne-nama-ankhon-se-kiya-divngata-bete-ka-pindadana-40003",
  "category": "India",
  "publishedAt": "2026-09-29",
  "tags": [
    "Gaya",
    "Pitru Paksha",
    "Pind Daan",
    "Pretshila",
    "Samba",
    "Jammu and Kashmir",
    "Parth Singh"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}