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| Kishtwar & Kedarnath impacted Amarnath yatri rush | | |
Lord Shiva was kind to the 3.50 lakh pil
grims who visited the cave shrine of
Amarnath during the just ended annual pilgrimage.There were fears that Lord Shiva may repeat his anger in Kashmir on the pattern of what he had expressed during the recent Kedarnath and Badrinath yatra when several hundred pilgrims died because of floods,landslides,cloudburst and several thousand were missing.Even occasional weather related problems delayed the march of the pilgrims,still pilgrims were excited by religious fervor and refused to be discouraged by some breezy incidents of militancy related violence.But neither the state Government nor the Amarnath Shrine Board had expected reduction in the pilgrim rush to the cave shrine.Last year over six lakh pilgrims had visited the holy cave but this season not more than 3.50 lakh yatris had made to the mount ain cave,supposed to be the abode of Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati.In fact there was no laxity on the part of either the state Government or the Shrine Board as far as facilities for the pilgrims were concerned.and various agencies connected with the yatra believe that the Uttrakhand tragedy, militant incidents and killings in Ramban could have been the main factors that hit inflow of Hindu devotees to Amarnath cave this year.
As per official records, only 3.5 lakh Hindu pilgrims visited the Amarnath cave in South Kashmir this year against at least 6.20 lakh pilgrims who had visited the cave shrine in 2012 to pay obeisance there.Official sources attribute the low turn up of devotees to Amarnath cave to Uttarakhand tragedy, spurt in militant attacks in valley and killing of four civilians in Ramban last month.The latest was the communal trouble in Kishtwar which had prompted the Government to impose curfew restrictions in various parts of the Jammu region and some areas in the Kashmir valley.The shutdown in the valley sponsored by the separatists against the communal trouble in Kishtwar also restricted the movement of pilgrims who had to stay put in Jammu for a few days prompting many groups of pilgrims to cancel their yatra. State Government agencies believe that wide media coverage on possible increase in militant activities followed by militant attacks in the Valley and later killing of four civilians by troops in Gool, Ramban area created panic and insecurity among the people, who were intending to visit the cave shrine. Officials said the Amarnath Yatris felt the impact of cloud bursts and flashfloods that struck Uttarakhand on June 16.
In the initial stages of the yatra,which had commenced from June 28,large groups of pilgrims,ranging between 2000 and 3500 per day,would reach Jammu,the base camp for the yatra,but from middle of July the number started dwindling.Surprisingly not more than 15,000 pilgrims visited the cave shrine during the three weeks of August.Whatever may have been the reason for drop in the plgrim traffic to the moun tain cave shrine one thing seems to have become a permanent feature of the state's tourism structure is that pilgrim tourism has come to stay as part of cultural,religious feat ure of Jammu and Kashmir.What is encouraging is that even in the face of security related odds between three and four lakh pilgrims have been offering prayers at the mountain cave shrine annually.Not a bad figure.And one need not be skeptical of those who say that pilgrim tourism has become backbone of peoples' economy in Jammu and Kashmir when about one crore pilgrims visit the shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi which ramins open for the yatris round the year.Credit needs to be given to two Shrine Boards, headed by Governor,N.N.Vohra,the state Government agencies that provide some basic facilities to the pilgrims and separatists and militants deserve a bigger credit because Yatris were not targeted by the guntoting youth.It is hoped that various mainstream politicians and separatists stop dishing out statements on environmental pollution of the mountain ranges because of pilgrim rush.These pilgrims provide sustenance to a large number of port ers,ponywallas and traders and their families.Let communal amity be further strengthened by encouraging bigger pilgrim traffic to Vaishno Devi and Amarnath cave. |
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