'If Taliban kills me, I consider it my Seva,' says last Hindu priest in Afghanistan, refuses to leave

With chaos unfolding in Kabul, thousands of people are fleeing Afghanistan, fearful of what lies ahead in the second Taliban regime. Heart-wrenching visuals from the airport in the capital city show people crowding airplanes leaving the war-torn country.

While many minorities are fleeing Afghanistan fearing atrocities by the incoming Taliban regime, few are choosing to stay and face whatever fate comes their way. One such person is the last Hindu priest in the country, Pt. Rajesh Kumar of the Rattan Nath temple in Kabul.

Several of his Hindu acquaintances have reportedly offered to arrange for Pandit Kumar to leave Afghanistan. But the loyal priest is preferring to stay put and keep the prayer bells in his temple ringing for as long as possible.

The priest reportedly expressed his loyalty to the temple served by his ancestors for hundreds of years and has refused to leave despite the immense risk.

A Twitter user @BharadwajSpeaks revealed that Pandit Rajesh Kumar of the Kabul-based temple stated, “Some Hindus have urged me to leave Kabul & offered to arrange for my travel and stay. But my ancestors served this Mandir for hundreds of years. I will not abandon it. If Taliban kills me, I consider it my Seva."

Pandit Rajesh Kumar, the priest of Rattan Nath Temple in Kabul:

"Some Hindus have urged me to leave Kabul & offered to arrange for my travel and stay.

But my ancestors served this Mandir for hundreds of years. I will not abandon it. If Taliban kiIIs me, I consider it my Seva"

— Bharadwaj (@BharadwajSpeaks) August 15, 2021

Afghanistan quickly spiralled into chaos after Taliban virtually strolled into Kabul and took control of the Presidential Palace. As President Ashraf Ghani fled, hundreds gathered at the airport to find a flight out of the war-torn country. Amid horrific visuals from the airport were two people who were clinging to a wheel of an aircraft falling mid-air.

India has initiated a new emergency Visa service to help people leaving Afghanistan.

A Home Ministry spokesperson posted on Twitter, "MHA reviews visa provisions in view of the current situation in Afghanistan. A new category of electronic visa called "e-Emergency X-Misc Visa" introduced to fast-track visa applications for entry into India."