Thaindian News

Mathura, Dec 17 (IANS) The Delhi-Agra national highway has been choked for the last three days as devotees of a local spiritual leader make their way on foot and in packed buses and trucks for a four-day religious discourse that ends here Friday. The followers of Baba Jai Gurudev have been coming to his grand white Naam Yog Sadhna Mandir here from across Uttar Pradesh, especially the eastern districts, and Bihar.

“They have come walking, in overcrowded buses, in trucks, or whatever other mode of transport is available for the Baba’s 62nd annual Bhandara. The four-day ’satsang’ (discourse) will continue till Friday,” said Indramani, who had come from Bahraich district with a busload of Baba’s followers.

The road is jammed with traffic for most part of the day and late evenings, causing delays for many tourists bound for Agra.

“To cross just a kilometre of the highway opposite the Naam Yog Sadhna Mandir, could take anything between an hour or two,” said Ramesh, a taxi driver who was ferrying foreign tourists.

The Baba apparently has a huge following right from the MID-1970s.

Men, women and children, guided by ’swayam sevaks’ or temple volunteers stand in long queues, waiting for their turn to enter the temple, according to eyewitnesses.