DIG Vaibhav Krishna Helps Remote Chandauli Villagers Visit Kashi Vishwanath for the First Time

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A simple conversation in a remote village of eastern Uttar Pradesh turned into an unforgettable journey for dozens of elderly residents after a senior police officer decided that a dream delayed for decades should not remain unfulfilled any longer.

During a visit to Pandi village in Chandauli district on June 15, Varanasi Range DIG Vaibhav Krishna interacted with local women as part of an outreach exercise under the Mission Shakti campaign. What began as a routine interaction soon revealed a reality that left the senior officer visibly moved.

Pandi village lies nearly 95 kilometres away from the Varanasi district headquarters. Surrounded by forested terrain and limited connectivity, the settlement remains largely isolated from urban life and many of the opportunities available in nearby cities. For several residents, daily life has revolved around farming, household work and the village community, with little exposure to the outside world.

As the DIG spoke with women gathered during the interaction, they shared that many among them had never stepped outside the village boundaries. Some had never travelled to a city in their lives. The revelation surprised officials accompanying the visit and highlighted the extent of geographical and social isolation that still exists in some pockets of rural India despite rapid development elsewhere.

Vaibhav Krishna then asked a simple question that would change the course of events for the villagers: if they were given a chance to travel, where would they like to go?

The response came almost instantly.

“We want to go to Banaras city and seek the blessings of Baba Kashi Vishwanath,” one of the women replied, echoing the wishes of others standing nearby.

For many of them, the ancient city of Varanasi had existed only through stories passed down through generations, television broadcasts and religious conversations within their homes. The idea of standing before the sacred shrine of Lord Shiva had remained a distant aspiration rather than a realistic possibility.

The emotional exchange deeply affected the DIG. Instead of allowing the moment to pass as another anecdote from a field visit, he immediately directed officials to make arrangements for the villagers to undertake the pilgrimage and experience the city they had long wished to see.

Two weeks later, that promise became reality.

On June 29, a police-arranged bus arrived in Pandi village to take the residents on their first journey to Varanasi. Thirty elderly women and ten men boarded the vehicle, many carrying excitement and disbelief in equal measure. For some, it was the first time they had travelled such a distance from home.

The group was brought to Varanasi where they visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, one of Hinduism’s most revered pilgrimage sites and a spiritual centre that attracts millions of devotees every year. They also offered prayers at the Sankat Mochan Temple, another iconic religious landmark associated with deep faith and centuries-old traditions.

Officials accompanying the visitors ensured that the elderly pilgrims were assisted throughout the day. Meals were arranged and the group was given an opportunity to experience parts of the city that many had only imagined from afar.

Photographs and videos from the visit captured smiles, folded hands and expressions of wonder as the visitors walked through temple corridors and crowded streets that contrasted sharply with the quiet surroundings of their forest-fringed village.

Many of the women reportedly expressed gratitude for being able to fulfil a lifelong wish. For them, the journey was not merely a sightseeing trip but a deeply personal spiritual experience that carried emotional significance accumulated over decades.

The initiative was carried out under Mission Shakti, a programme that has increasingly expanded beyond its original focus on women’s safety and empowerment to include efforts aimed at social inclusion and community engagement. Officials say one of the goals of the campaign is to connect residents of underserved and geographically isolated regions with the social, cultural and administrative mainstream.

The story from Pandi village serves as a reminder that development is not measured solely through roads, buildings or statistics. Access to opportunities, experiences and participation in wider society often matters just as much, particularly for communities living on the margins.

In an era when interactions between officials and citizens are often reduced to formal meetings and administrative files, a conversation that began in a remote village ended with forty people creating memories they may carry for the rest of their lives.

For the elderly women of Pandi, Banaras was no longer a distant dream spoken about in village courtyards. It became a journey they lived, a prayer they offered with their own hands, and a story they would return home to tell for years to come.