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Amarnath pilgrims stranded, yet happy
Srinagar:
Pilgrims despite being stranded on their way to Amarnath, say that
they are quite happy with the arrangements made by the authorities as
they face no problem. The first batch of 935 pilgrims who have reached
Pahalgam and Nunwan base camp have been advised to stay back for the past
three days by the authorities due to bad weather, heavy snow and rainfall.
Hapless pilgrims, many of whom have come from far-off places, had no other
option but to wait for the route to open. Yatris who have been stranded
at Nunwan for almost three days now are in full praise for the Government
and the locals who are taking care of the stranded yatries. "I can say
that there is a lot of excitement and there is full cooperation from the
army and the people here. There is no problem, the food is also good,
lots of varieties are here. So it is really good," added Sonia, another
pilgrim. Several times in the past, the annual pilgrimage has been marked
by flash floods, cloudbursts and landslides leading to considerable number
casualties. But this could not have affected the courage of believers.
"The tents are there, the blankets are there, one is getting bed and everything.
There is no problem. So I would ask all to come here and enjoy. There
is nothing to be scared off. The yatra to Amarnath is not at all tough,"
said Ritu. Every year, hundreds of thousands of devotees trek the steep,
slippery 48- kilometre mountain terrain way to reach the Amarnath cave
shrine. Amarnath stands at a height of nearly 12,500 feet (3,888 metres)
above sea level. The pilgrimage leads devotees through monsoon rain-swollen
streams and past a glacier-fed lake to the cave where they worship an
ice stalagmite, regarded as a symbol representing the regenerative powers
of God Shiva.
-June 13, 2006
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