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| 'Lingam melts of heat wave' | | SASB shares pain; blames Mahant Giri for public debate | |
ET REPORTER
Jammu, July 6: With television screens showing unformed cops violating the sanctity of the most revered Himalayan cave shrine and blame game erupting in several quarters, the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board headed by the Governor Lt Gen SK Sinha seems to have pained over the controversies engulfing the Shri Amarnath Yatra almost every year.
In a detailed statement released to the media here today, the Shrine Board made a detailed account of sequence of events since 2004 –ever since the Yatra got embroiled in controversy on one or the other issue. What has pained the Shrine Board more is the fact the former custodian of the shrive Mahant Depinder Giri is critical of the prevailing state of affairs.
The Shrine Board has squarely blamed Mahant Depinder Giri, who was a member of the Board after also having got a compensation of Rs 1.2 Crores, for discussing the internal matters in public and kicking off a controversy in the media. The Board while expressing concern over the Lingam melting as an annual feature due to environmental conditions admitted that last year dry ice was used to maintain the size and position of the Lingam.
On early melting of Lingam this hear, the Board dismissed all allegations and said that it has dome to heat wave in Kashmir. The statement said, "It is now alleged that some Security Force personnel and others tampered with the Lingam while offering prayers inside the Cave with 'lamps' and agarbatis. It is also alleged that a large number of helicopter sorties were flown to the Cave. All this is said to have caused the melting of the Lingam. The fact is that there was a heat wave in June in Kashmir and this has been the primary reason for the early melting of the Lingam. If any security personnel have indulged in any unpermissible act while offering prayers, the matter will be investigated by the State Government and suitable action taken. Reports that the Board has blamed the State Government for early melting of the Lingam is totally false. The Board has been receiving full co-operation from the State Government. The formation or melting of the lingam is primarily connected with natural phenomenon like global warming, shifting of glaciers as revealed by satellite pictures taken in 2006 and earthquake of 2005 which may have affected the seeping of water from the glaciers to the Cave through layers of rocks. It is the cumulative effect of all these as also the body heat of pilgrims paying obeisance at the Cave which lead to the melting of the Lingam.
Referring to the allegations about helicopters contributing to the melting of Lingam, the spokesperson pointed out that even before helicopters started flying to the Cave from 2004 in an organized manner, the Ice Lingam used to melt after about two weeks of the commencement of the Yatra. The helicopter service is a great boon for the aged and infirm to have darshan. No helicopter flies over the Cave. The Board has blocked two helipads closest to the Cave and has established helipads, 500 metres away. In the long term, a ropeway system is also under consideration as at Gulmarg and feasibility report for it has been prepared by M/S RITES.
On the duration of the Yatra, the spokespersons maintained that it used to be one month culminating on Raksha Bandhan day. According to the Hindu calendar, 2004 was a 'malmas' year with two Shravan month. In view of this, the Board approached the State Government to allow a two month Yatra in 2004. The then State Government opposed this. A public controversy got generated on this issue and four Ministers in the State Cabinet resigned on this account. Mahant Deependra Giri as one of the spokesman of the Board addressed a Press Conference in 2004 demanding a two months Yatra which was ultimately for all practical purpose conceded by the State Government. After experience gained in management of a two month Yatra in 2004, the Board decided on holding two month Yatra in the future. This decision was taken on the basis of three considerations. First, in a one month's yatra there was a tendency for a large rush of pilgrims in a short period making management of the Yatra difficult. There was also the attendant risk in such cases of high casualties in event of national calamity as in 1996. In a two month yatra, the daily rush of pilgrims get spread over a longer period making the pilgrimage more manageable. Second, with the increasing popularity of the Yatra, the number of pilgrims wanting to pay obeisance had increased immensely from a few thousands to 3 to 4 lakhs in a year. Third, with the improvement of the Baltal track, pilgrims in large numbers had started going up to the Holy Cave soon after the melting of snow and well before the official date for the commencement of the Yatra. The latter is related to Raksha Bandhan whose date in the English calendar varies from year to year. In view of these considerations, the Shrine Board at its meeting on 15 February, 2005 and again on 2 December, 2005 decided on a two month yatra for 2005 and 2006 respectively. Mahant Deependra Giri was present at these meetings and did not raise any objection to the decision taken. Subsequently in 2006, he issued Press statements opposing a two month Yatra. Controversy about the duration of the Yatra and other issues between the Board and the State Government came up in the High Court through a Public Interest Litigation. A single bench of the High Court gave a verdict that the management of the Yatra including its duration should be left to the Board and the State Government should provide the required security for the Yatra. The then State Government appealed to a Division bench of the High Court where the case is still pending but the Division bench has issued interim order authorizing the Board to determine the duration of the Yatra.
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