Suresh Narayan performs pinddaan at Deo Ghat in Gaya on Wednesday. Picture by Suman

Gaya, Sept. 21: This morning at the Pitripaksh Mela, there was a sexagenarian who stood out. Like everyone, even he was praying. However, unlike others, he was not offering prayers for anyone he knew.

Social activist Suresh Narayan from Andar Gaya locality has been performing collective pinddaan during the Pitripaksh Mela for the past 11 years, praying for the peace of the souls of those who died naturally or unnaturally.

Narayan, who would turn 68 in December this year, performed the collective pinddaan at Deo Ghat today. He prayed for those killed in the September 18 earthquake, tsunami in Japan and various train accident victims in the past year. He also prayed for those who lost their lives in floods, drought and starvation.

The 67-year-old social activist did not forget the policemen and soldiers who lost their lives while fighting for the country.

Swami Raghwacharya Maharaj of Ramanuj Math assisted Narayan to perform the collective pinddaan today on the banks of river Falgu.

The swami has been with him each time he has performed the rituals since 2001. He also arranged for lunch for poor people on the occasion.

As a custom, one is supposed to part with something very dear after offering pinddaan. Narayan removed his title Singh from his name.

“In fact, it is Swamiji who inspired me to perform pinddaan for the peace of those whose relatives are not able to reach here. I offer pinddaan for anyone who requests me to do the same,” Narayan told The Telegraph after performing the rituals.

Narayan, who was elected as the president of Vishnupad Area Development in 2010, facilitates the pinddaan for the rituals throughout the year. “In case, someone requests me to offer pinddaan at any time of the year, I do so. Otherwise, I perform the rituals only once, during the Pitripaksh mela,” he said.