A missing elderly pilgrim from Punjab found his way back home after a stranger in Bihar spent days tracing his family, using the only clue he could remember — the name of his village.
Chaman Lal, a resident of Fatehgarh Gujran village in Ludhiana district, had travelled to Amritsar on September 11 to visit Sri Harmandir Sahib under the Punjab government’s Chief Minister Pilgrimage Scheme. His family said he had been experiencing memory-related problems.
During the pilgrimage, Chaman Lal became separated from his group and made his way towards Amritsar railway station. He eventually boarded a train travelling in the wrong direction and reached Gaya in Bihar, more than 1,200km from home.
There, Neeraj, a local construction worker, found the elderly man distressed and hungry. Chaman Lal could not clearly explain who he was or where he lived, and he spoke only Punjabi. Neeraj took him home, where his family provided him with food and shelter.
The search for his family continued for 3 days. Chaman Lal could remember only one important detail: “Fatehgarh Gujran.”
Neeraj searched online using the village name and also turned to ChatGPT for help in identifying its location. After several days, he traced the village to the Machhiwara Sahib area of Ludhiana district.
Instead of sending Chaman Lal back alone, Neeraj decided to accompany him. He travelled with him from Gaya to Ludhiana and then towards Machhiwara, where he began showing the elderly man’s photograph to local residents.
Eventually, a resident named Master Krishan Lal recognised Chaman Lal. His grandson, Sukhchain Singh, soon arrived and confirmed his identity.
The family had been searching for Chaman Lal, checking locations in Amritsar, informing police and circulating his photograph on social media.
The family welcomed Neeraj with garlands and offered him money and clothes in gratitude. For Neeraj, however, helping the elderly pilgrim had become a responsibility he could not walk away from.
Technology helped narrow the search, but it was Neeraj’s persistence and compassion that ultimately brought Chaman Lal home safely.
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