Rip Van Winkle of Maha Kumbh stampede? Man loses track of time after smoking up with sadhus, turns up on his ‘tehrvi’

Khunti Guru pulled a Rip Van Winkle stunt at the Maha Kumbh as he turned for his own 'tehrvi' - the ritual performed on 13th day after a death.

As per reports, Guru's extended family assumed that he died during the Jan 29 stampede and accordingly, they went on to commemorate his ‘tehrvi’. But oblivious to such rumours, Guru returned home on the same day.

It turned out Guru passed out after smoking up with some sadhus and completely lost track of time.

Two weeks went by when he realised that his 10x12 room in Chahchand Gali, in Prayagraj's Zero Road, was still waiting for him. By then, his extended family—virtually the entire neighborhood—had already held elaborate religious rituals in memory of the beloved local jester.

"I slept rather long... could be a few days," the 'Dead Man Walking' said, as repoted by TOI.

Khunti Guru's tehrvi was quickly forgotten in the euphoria of seeing him alive, but not the food. They celebrated it as the 'rebirth' of the popular, happy-go-lucky man.

What was meant to be a mourning ritual turned into community feasting in celebration of the popular, happy-go-lucky character's 'rebirth'.

Abhai Awasthi, a social worker, said Khunti Guru, stepped out on the evening of Jan 28, telling whomever he met in Chahchand Gali that he would be back after a dip at Sangam on Mauni Amavasya.

"The stampede happened early the next day and we got worried about him. We looked for him everywhere we could but there was no trace of him. Finally, presuming him dead, we organised prayers for him," Awasthi told TOI.

The stampede occurred when a massive crowd gathered at the Sangam nose to take a holy dip in the early hours of January 29 on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, considered to be an auspicious day.

According to officials, 30 people were killed in the stampede and 60 others were injured.

The UP government has formed a three-member judicial commission, chaired by retired Allahabad HC judge Harsh Kumar to probe the January 29 stampede. The panel has invited people to provide information regarding the incident.