news details |
|
|
| SHRI AMARNATH YATRA - a symbol of communal brotherhood | | | M.K.MATTOO | 5/11/2015 12:23:16 AM |
| Pilgrimage to holy Shri amaranth cave is a world-wide phenomenon. From every nock and corner of the world, people aspire to visit this holy place. Legends speak about its sanctity in length, its grandeur and importance that goes beyond one's imagination. The place is sacred with an historical background from times immemorial. The shrine cave is situating on the Himalayan range at the height of 14,000 feet from the sea level. Two zigzag strips of road in the Himalayan range leads to the holy cave. One route is via Pahalgam and the other goes through Baltal via Ganderbal.
Hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrim flocking to holy sites I Himalayas. Hindu's believe that Himalayas are the abode of god Shiva, the god of destruction and regeneration, and devotees trek through various treacherous mountain passes every year to seek Shiva's blessings at various holy shrines like Shri Amarnath cave
. Despite the turmoil of militancy prevailing for more than two decades, Amarnath Ji cave continues one of the most popular tirthas of Kashmir and lacks of pilgrims from all parts of the country visit the shrine inspite of the fact that a few of them fall victim of the militant's attacks. The number of aspirants for pilgrimage has always been more than the government does allow for security reasons.
Annual pilgrimage to Amarnath yatra this year is scheduled to begin on July 2 for 59 days. It will culminate on august 29 on the occasion of Shravan purnima and Raksha Bandhan. It is after long time that yatra would last about 2 months. In 2014, the pilgrimage was confined to 44 days while in 2013, it lasted 55 days. The yatra this year shall be of 59 days duration. The extended pilgrimage requires more security and safety for which the state government and central government is making efforts to make the journey safe and sound.
The major focus of security would of course remain too forward base camps of Baltal and Nunwan in 'Kashmir' and Bhagwati Nagar Jammu base camp. All these campus have been declared high security zones. Moreover central government had assured all help from all sources for ensuring peaceful annual pilgrimage to holy cave shrine of Shri Amarnath Ji, which draws lakhs of people from different parts of the country to Kashmir to undertake yatra to the shrine in south Kashmir. It is come to know that army would mean the heights of the shrine cave while BSF, CRPF and Police would provide security cover to the pilgrimage on Pahalgam and Baltal tracks and National highways of Jammu and Srinagar along with J&K police force. Apart from that, forces would be deployed in strength for the yatra security.
It is apprehension that the separatists and other anti-elements have a standing hidden agenda of ISI, to disrupt Shri Amarnath yatra every year and always conspire to keep the pot boiling for discouraging pilgrims to pay their obeisance to Shri Baba Amarnath Ji shrine cave. It is a litmus test for coalition government to be vigilant about the anger brewing due to burning problems in Jammu and nefarious design of separatist and secessionist forces active in the valley conspiring hidden agenda to disrupt the ensuing yatra 2015 by creating disturbance under the grab of Kashmiri pandit's the resettlement policy and arrest of Masrat Alam and many more problems desired by the secessionist.
Hurriyat had advanced the ridiculous and provocative argument against the yatra, he had advanced in 2008 and earlier as well. He had said that the yatra posed a threat to Kashmir's environment and ecology.
He had even said that the government of India had planned to create Hindu settlements near the Shrine to change the Kashmiri's demography. Now Geelani the Chairman of Hurriyat who poked his communal nose in the religious affairs of the Hindu's at Tral on Friday 1st May 2015 and asked the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board and Sate government to restrict the yatra period to 15 days or to a maximum period of 30 days.
Moreover, the yatra period needs to be extended more for the welfare of the people in general and for transport operators in particular. It should not be made and issue of controversy. For the tourist season to be successful, it is important that the law and order situation is normal, strikes, protests and stone pelting incidents are going to affect the prospects of the good tourist season in the Kashmir valley. If there is no end to the separatist activities, there are chances that the tourist season would be affected to the great extent. This would mean that people associated with different trades attached with the yatra and tourism sector would suffer great losses and the state exchequer will suffer. It would be difficult to cope up with the losses. There should be fool proof security cover all the way so that last year's episode like Baltal will not happen again when the fundamentalist attacked, burnt, stoned and looted Hindu langars at Baltal base camp on July 18, 2014.
Shri Amarnath Ji yatra Guide Book 2015 published by Tourism Federation of Jammu (TFJ) was released by Governor who is chairman of SASB. This Guide Book provides information about various procedures and guidelines for facilitation of the intending pilgrims for Shri Amarnath Ji yatra 2015. SABLO is an Association of various Bhandara organizations organizing bhandara from both the routs (Baltal and Phalgam routes) to the holy cave, which are engaged in rendering free food, distribution of blankets, night shelter facilities to the pilgrims during the yatra.
Even as the Shrine caters to lakhs of pilgrims every year, it also provide employments to thousands of locals form every nook of the valley. Amarnath Ji yatra pilgrimage has model of communal brotherhood. A large number of porters, who earn their livelihood, as palki-bearers, pithu carriers and ponywallas, are local Muslims of the valley. Overtime, thousands of Muslim labourers have developed a sense of faith in the cave shrine. They believe that the strength of trudging on this track with extra load is only possible because of the blessings of the Lord Shiva (Barfa-Nee-Baba). "Though it is a Hindu Shrine, I have strong faith in the Lord Shiva. This Shrine has bestowed a lot to me and my family" said a regular labourer to the author. "It not only provides us with livelihood, but also gives us the strength to carry the burden that we do and the duration should more, than what is present". We never felt that we are from another religion. I used pay obeisance at the shrine and all my wishes have come true.
The number of pilgrims to Shri Amarnath Ji is increasing each year owing to satisfactory arrangements made by the government and the Shrine Board for providing conveniences to the pilgrims. It is anticipated that the number will swell further once road and rail connectivity is fully functional. Shri Amarnath Cave shrine is more picturesque and has more attraction for pilgrims within and outside the country. One of the great symbols of faith is the holy pilgrimage to Shri Amarnath Ji cave shrine in Kashmir. How thousands of people who come from all of a India and having no experience of hills, set themselves upto brave steep inclines, boulders, lofty heights and chilly winds. It is immaterial for pilgrims whether they will die or come back. Faith moves mountains and here it has been proved better than ever. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
