Jammu, July 30
The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra, a sacred pilgrimage for Hindus, which was kept for a record period of 62 days this year, witnessed the culmination of the Holy Shivling in just 27 days. This has left the devotees of Bhole Baba deeply disappointed and filled with immense resentment. The lack of proper arrangements for ensuring the safe viewing of the sacred Him Shivling during the entire duration of the yatra has hurt the faith of Bhole’s devotees, as claimed by Manish Sahni, President of Shiv Sena (UBT) Jammu and Kashmir unit.
In a press conference held today at the party regional office, Manish Sahni stated that despite the record duration of 62 days for the yatra, there were no adequate arrangements made to secure the sacred Hin Shivling for darshan.
He said around 15 to 18 thousand devotees were sent daily for darshan during the yatra, while a significant number of security personnel and officials were deployed in and around the holy cave premises, including horse and palanquin bearers. Unfortunately, it is the devotees who are now bearing the brunt of this mismanagement, as many of them have been unable to receive the auspicious darshan of the Holy Shivling.
Sahni highlighted that Shiv Sena had repeatedly urged for special measures to ensure the safe viewing of the sacred Him Shivling throughout the yatra, and even submitted a memorandum to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, who is also the Chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. However, their appeals for free registration and the safety of the Him Shivling were ignored.
He further pointed out that similar incidents of the Shivling melting before the completion of the yatra have occurred in the past, and the glacial nature of the Amarnath caves demands extra precautions, especially as the number of visitors increases, and the temperatures rise. It seems that the priority of the Shrine Board has shifted towards generating revenue and setting records, overshadowing any responsible measures for the yatra’s success and the well-being of the pilgrims, he added.
Sahni expressed empathy for the thousands of devotees who traveled from other states, spending substantial amounts, only to face disappointment and disillusionment due to the laxity of the government machinery. He called upon the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board to refund the incurred expenses, including the registration fees of ?220 and and apologize for the inconvenience caused to the devotees.
