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| Govt’s decision to cancel Amarnath Yatra 2021 draws flak | | If Shri Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage can continue in Jammu, why can’t Amarnath Yatra be held in Kashmir, ask devotees | | Early Times Report
Jammu, June 21: Lieutenant Governor led J&K government deciding to cancel the Shri Amarnath pilgrimage 2021, citing Covid-19 pandemic as a reason has not gone well with devotees, who are asking a valid question, if Shri Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage can continue in Jammu region then why can’t Amarnath pilgrimage be held in Kashmir.
Some devotees from Jammu, who have been planning to visit the Shri Amarnath Cave shrine in Kashmir for the past three years, have questioned the rationale of the J&K government, citing Covid-19 pandemic as the cardinal reason.
“The pilgrimage to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi cave shrine, which lies in district Reasi of Jammu province, has been undergoing even during the Covid-19 lockdown as there were few restrictions on the number of pilgrims visiting the cave. As per statistics shared by the official website of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) is showing that on 20th June 2021, a total of 9603 pilgrims arrived at Katra for pilgrimage”, a devotee Rameshwar Sharma from Jammu said.
Sharing the monthly count of pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine, the website of SMVDSB for the year 2021 reads, for the month of January a total of 4,08061 pilgrims, for February 389,549, March 317,680, April 186,678 and for May 36835 pilgrims visited the cave shrine. Even during the month of May, when the pandemic was at its peak, pilgrims visited the Mata Vaishno Devi cave shrine and that was the time when the entire country was under lockdown.
However on the other hand when the lockdown restrictions have almost been lifted across various districts of the Jammu and Kashmir and the effect of pandemic is also waning, the JK administration has cancelled Shri Amarnath Yatra, citing Covid-19 pandemic.
“During the normal days, the average number of pilgrims visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine annually is over 80 lakhs annually, which means around 7 Lakhs pilgrims monthly but on the contrary the maximum pilgrims visiting the Shri Amarnath Cave Shrine during the year 2018 2-month long yatra stood at 2.89 lakhs in from 28th of June to August 26, 2018. It means average monthly pilgrims to Amarnath cave shrine is around 1.45 lakhs which is 1/5th of the monthly pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi cave shrine”, another devotee said.
He further said that though due to tough terrain as well as lack of facilities along the route of Amarnath Cave Shrine, there could be possibilities of devotees assembling at some places in large numbers and it can lead to infection getting spread.
“But government can restrict the number of pilgrims to Amarnath Cave shrine rather than totally cancelling it, keeping it symbolic allowing pilgrims to virtually attend Aartis”, the devotee said, adding that administration has kept dual yardsticks for pilgrimage in Jammu region and the pilgrimage in Kashmir region.
"Since 2018, we have been waiting for the annual pilgrimage but due to one reason or the other, we are unable to complete the same. The Covid-19 effect is waning but despite that JK admin cancelled the pilgrimage. It needs to reconsider the decision,” the devotees said. |
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