Septuagenarian, believed dead by family, returns home after 33 years in Rajasthan's Alwar

Hanuman Saini, 75, said he spent all the last three decades at the Mata temple in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra Mata saying “Mata had called me”.

Alwar: In a straight-out-of-movie incident, a man returned home 33 years after his sudden disappearance in Alwar district of Rajasthan leaving family and relatives astonished. Hanuman Saini, 75, was given a hero's welcome with people thronging his house in hordes as he reunited with the family in Bansoor village of Alwar district on Tuesday May 30 after 33 years.

Saini's five children-three daughters and two sons-are all married. The family had last year obtained Saini's 'death certificate' last year after giving up on his return. On Tuesday, the siblings rushed to their father's house after hearing about his return to see him and know about his well being. When Hanuman Saini's sister and daughters came to know about his return, they also came from their in-laws house and inquired about the condition of their father.

Asked about his disappearance for all these years, 75-year-old Hanuman Saini said that he spent all the last three decades at the Mata temple in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra Mata saying “Mata had called me”. “I reached Mata temple and worshipped there for almost 33 years. I returned home on the orders of Mata,” Saini said.

Saini said that he first reached Khairthal from Kangra on May 29 night by train from where he reached Tatarpur intersection on foot at night. On May 30 morning, Saini reached the Swastiya Hanuman temple of Bansoor by hitchhiking to reach his relatives. Hanuman Saini's son Ramachandra Saini said that they had given up the hope on their father's return and got his death certificate made in 2022.

“I had given up hope of my father being alive, we finally got my father's death certificate made in 2022 by taking the support of the court due to hassles in the land documents. Thank God that he returned home today,” Saini's son said. As for Hanuman Saini, he said that he had a mere Rs 20 in his pocket when he left home way back in 1989.

“When I boarded the train, the TT asked for the ticket, but I had no money, but he was generous enough to give me the ticket for Pathankot from where I reached Kangra Mata Temple in Himachal where I spent 33 years in the service and worship of Mata. But after completing my penance and my worship, I returned home on Mata's orders,” Saini said.