The recently built motorable road leading to Amarnath Cave in Kashmir Valley has come under immense criticism from regional political parties who have deemed it an environmental disaster.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah slammed the government for letting construction activity take place in ecologically sensitive areas.

''It's the case of the environment. The courts have always given decisions in favour of saving green belts across the valley. No one is allowed to construct&nbsp;anything around Dal Lake, people living in Dal are not even allowed to repair their houseboats. People in Pahalgam and Gulmarg are not allowed to repair their&nbsp;houses. Same way in Sonamarg, so many constructions have been stopped due to environmental factors. If we have been saving Dal Lake, Gulmarg, Pahalgam then we need to save the Amarnath Cave as well, '' he said.

He further said, ''It is our responsibility to save the environment. The yatra has been going on for years, why do we need to take the vehicles to the cave.&nbsp;The main motive&nbsp;of the yatra is to walk till the cave. When we go for Hajj, we do it on foot. Same way, when Hindus go to Mata Vaishno Devi. We need to rethink the decision as taking vehicles to these areas will be disastrous. The Amarnath yatra is always welcome but the&nbsp;government can't play with the environment like this, ''&nbsp;

Earlier, the Border Roads Organisation said that they created history after the first set of vehicles reached the Amarnath cave at an altitude of 13,000 feet in the Himalayan range of Kashmir Valley. The BRO said that around 13 km of road has been completed from the Sangam base to the cave shrine.&nbsp;

Earlier, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that the construction of the 110-km-long Amarnath Marg leading to the holy Amarnath cave shrine in Pahalgam came at a cost of approximately Rs 53 billion ($636 million approx.) to enhance the convenience of pilgrims.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/new-delhi-its-not-entirely-stubble-burning-what-else-fueling-air-pollution-656447">New Delhi: It's not entirely stubble burning. What else is fueling air pollution?</a>

Not only politicians but Kashmir Pandit community have also criticised the move of the government saying it will destroy the environment.

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Mohit Bhan in a post on X said, “After seeing the wrath of God in Joshimath &amp; Kedarnath, LG administration is not learning any lesson, instead inviting a new catastrophe in Kashmir around Amarnath Cave.”

''No one is against the Yatra, it's an example of brotherhood in the valley but the way they have started a motorable road till the cave will lead to an environmental&nbsp;disaster. We have examples of Kedarnath, Joshimath and Himachal in front of us. The numbers have been increased which as well has affected the formation of shivling. Within 10 days the shivling disappears due to the number of pilgrims allowed. Yatra has to be done while walking to the cave, that is the main way of doing it. The political parties are using it for political gains, '' said Mohit Bhat, PDP Leader.&nbsp;

The government plans to operationalise the motorable road by next year.&nbsp;

The recently built motorable road leading to Amarnath Cave in Kashmir Valley has come under immense criticism from regional political parties who have deemed it an environmental disaster.

The recently built motorable road leading to Amarnath Cave in Kashmir Valley has come under immense criticism from regional political parties who have deemed it an environmental disaster. Former chief minister Omar Abdullah slammed the government for letting construction activity take place in ecologically sensitive areas. ''It's the case of the environment. The courts have always given decisions in favour of saving green belts across the valley. No one is allowed to construct anything around Dal Lake, people living in Dal are not even allowed to repair their houseboats. People in Pahalgam and Gulmarg are not allowed to repair their houses. Same way in Sonamarg, so many constructions have been stopped due to environmental factors. If we have been saving Dal Lake, Gulmarg, Pahalgam then we need to save the Amarnath Cave as well, '' he said. He further said, ''It is our responsibility to save the environment. The yatra has been going on for years, why do we need to take the vehicles to the cave. The main motive of the yatra is to walk till the cave. When we go for Hajj, we do it on foot. Same way, when Hindus go to Mata Vaishno Devi. We need to rethink the decision as taking vehicles to these areas will be disastrous. The Amarnath yatra is always welcome but the government can't play with the environment like this, '' Earlier, the Border Roads Organisation said that they created history after the first set of vehicles reached the Amarnath cave at an altitude of 13,000 feet in the Himalayan range of Kashmir Valley. The BRO said that around 13 km of road has been completed from the Sangam base to the cave shrine. Earlier, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that the construction of the 110-km-long Amarnath Marg leading to the holy Amarnath cave shrine in Pahalgam came at a cost of approximately Rs 53 billion ($636 million approx.) to enhance the convenience of pilgrims. Also read | New Delhi: It's not entirely stubble burning. What else is fueling air pollution? Not only politicians but Kashmir Pandit community have also criticised the move of the government saying it will destroy the environment. Also read | India: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar faces flak for bizarre sex talk in assembly Mohit Bhan in a post on X said, “After seeing the wrath of God in Joshimath & Kedarnath, LG administration is not learning any lesson, instead inviting a new catastrophe in Kashmir around Amarnath Cave.” ''No one is against the Yatra, it's an example of brotherhood in the valley but the way they have started a motorable road till the cave will lead to an environmental disaster. We have examples of Kedarnath, Joshimath and Himachal in front of us. The numbers have been increased which as well has affected the formation of shivling. Within 10 days the shivling disappears due to the number of pilgrims allowed. Yatra has to be done while walking to the cave, that is the main way of doing it. The political parties are using it for political gains, '' said Mohit Bhat, PDP Leader. The government plans to operationalise the motorable road by next year.

Amarnath cave road connectivity project kicks-up row, politicians say environmental disaster in making

Despite heavy rains and bad weather across Jammu and Kashmir, over one hundred thousand yatris (pilgrims) have visited the holy Amarnath cave in the first ten days. The enthusiasm among the yatris hardly seems to be dampened by the rains lashing the whole of North&nbsp;India.&nbsp;

After Amarnath Yatra was suspended due to bad weather from both the base camps, the government on Monday allowed the yatris to resume the pilgrimage from the Baltal base camp. Earlier, the yatra was allowed to resume from Chandanwari a day back due to the improvement in the weather. The authorities also resumed the helicopter service for the pilgrims.&nbsp;

''We are breaking all the records of development, and this time in 7 days we have crossed the figure of one lac pilgrims. This is all due to Baba Amarnath. The weather and yatris and locals all worked together for the smooth going of Yatra. And this time you must have seen that tourists who used to get bothered due to Yatra are freely allowed to move with a cut-off time, '' said VK Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir.&nbsp;

The pilgrims coming for the Amarnath Yatra with utmost devotion are saying that no matter what, they will carry on the pilgrimage. Several yatris have been waiting in Srinagar and were allowed to reach the base camps on Monday where they can start the yatra from both routes.&nbsp;

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''I have come from Kathua and I have been here in Srinagar for the last two days. We were told to wait till the weather clears and today I am going to Dumail to start my Yatra. I am hoping I will be able to do my yatra. I don't care how much I have to wait but I will carry on going for Darshan. I will pray to god that the rains that have unleashed across India should stop, and people should be safe,'' said Abhishek Sharma, a pilgrim.&nbsp;

The number of pilgrims coming for the Amarnath Yatra is surging every day. Thousands of pilgrims are visiting the holy cave and authorities believe that if the numbers continue at such a pace, it could cross the 5 lakh&nbsp;mark this year. The Amarnath Yatra for the first time will be held for 62 days. &nbsp; &nbsp;

''I think it all works on many factors, it depends on the weather, also on the size of the lingam, and generally, we are also thinking that it will cross 5 lakh&nbsp;this year and we have two sawans this year and since everything is in our favour so we are hoping for the best, '' said V K Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir.&nbsp;

While the yatra has been restored in Kashmir Valley, the national highway still remains closed due to major land-sliding in some areas. Thousands of yatris have been halted at Jammu's Bhagwati Nagar. The government has been working on the restoration of the National Highway so that the pilgrims stranded in Jammu can reach Kashmir Valley to take the pilgrimage.&nbsp;

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Despite heavy rains and bad weather across Jammu and Kashmir, over one hundred thousand yatris (pilgrims) have visited the holy Amarnath cave in the first ten days.

Despite heavy rains and bad weather across Jammu and Kashmir, over one hundred thousand yatris (pilgrims) have visited the holy Amarnath cave in the first ten days. The enthusiasm among the yatris hardly seems to be dampened by the rains lashing the whole of North India. After Amarnath Yatra was suspended due to bad weather from both the base camps, the government on Monday allowed the yatris to resume the pilgrimage from the Baltal base camp. Earlier, the yatra was allowed to resume from Chandanwari a day back due to the improvement in the weather. The authorities also resumed the helicopter service for the pilgrims. ''We are breaking all the records of development, and this time in 7 days we have crossed the figure of one lac pilgrims. This is all due to Baba Amarnath. The weather and yatris and locals all worked together for the smooth going of Yatra. And this time you must have seen that tourists who used to get bothered due to Yatra are freely allowed to move with a cut-off time, '' said VK Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir. The pilgrims coming for the Amarnath Yatra with utmost devotion are saying that no matter what, they will carry on the pilgrimage. Several yatris have been waiting in Srinagar and were allowed to reach the base camps on Monday where they can start the yatra from both routes. Also read: 'No flood situation in Delhi', says CM Arvind Kejriwal after rise in water level of Yamuna ''I have come from Kathua and I have been here in Srinagar for the last two days. We were told to wait till the weather clears and today I am going to Dumail to start my Yatra. I am hoping I will be able to do my yatra. I don't care how much I have to wait but I will carry on going for Darshan. I will pray to god that the rains that have unleashed across India should stop, and people should be safe,'' said Abhishek Sharma, a pilgrim. The number of pilgrims coming for the Amarnath Yatra is surging every day. Thousands of pilgrims are visiting the holy cave and authorities believe that if the numbers continue at such a pace, it could cross the 5 lakh mark this year. The Amarnath Yatra for the first time will be held for 62 days. ''I think it all works on many factors, it depends on the weather, also on the size of the lingam, and generally, we are also thinking that it will cross 5 lakh this year and we have two sawans this year and since everything is in our favour so we are hoping for the best, '' said V K Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir. While the yatra has been restored in Kashmir Valley, the national highway still remains closed due to major land-sliding in some areas. Thousands of yatris have been halted at Jammu's Bhagwati Nagar. The government has been working on the restoration of the National Highway so that the pilgrims stranded in Jammu can reach Kashmir Valley to take the pilgrimage. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Despite heavy rains, over 100,000 pilgrims have visited the holy cave at Amarnath

As many as 3,21,410 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave since the annual yatra kicked off on July 1.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, 26 pilgrims have lost their lives during the annual yatra, said officials of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB). Two volunteers and two security personnel have also passed away.

Authorities have made tight security arrangements for the safety of pilgrims during the 46-day long Amarnath Yatra.

Security agencies are issuing barcode-enabled authority slips to pilgrims and also pasting RFID tags on vehicles that will transport pilgrims and other civilians to and from the pilgrimage site. These RFID chips will track the movement of the vehicles and will also help drivers get directions if needed. These slips contain important details such as the pilgrims' photographs and contact numbers

The cave shrine situated at 3,888 metres above the sea-level in Kashmir Himalayas houses an ice stalagmite structure that symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

This year's Amarnath Yatra will conclude on August 15 coinciding with the Shravan Purnima festival.&nbsp;

As many as 2,85,006 lakh pilgrims had paid obeisance at the shrine last year, while the number of pilgrims was 3,52,771 in 2015, 3,20,490 in 2016 and 2,60,003 in 2017.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

As many as 3,21,410 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave since the annual yatra kicked off on July 1. Meanwhile, 26 pilgrims have lost their lives during the annual yatra, said officials of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB).

As many as 3,21,410 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave since the annual yatra kicked off on July 1. Meanwhile, 26 pilgrims have lost their lives during the annual yatra, said officials of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB). Two volunteers and two security personnel have also passed away. Authorities have made tight security arrangements for the safety of pilgrims during the 46-day long Amarnath Yatra. Security agencies are issuing barcode-enabled authority slips to pilgrims and also pasting RFID tags on vehicles that will transport pilgrims and other civilians to and from the pilgrimage site. These RFID chips will track the movement of the vehicles and will also help drivers get directions if needed. These slips contain important details such as the pilgrims' photographs and contact numbers The cave shrine situated at 3,888 metres above the sea-level in Kashmir Himalayas houses an ice stalagmite structure that symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva. This year's Amarnath Yatra will conclude on August 15 coinciding with the Shravan Purnima festival. As many as 2,85,006 lakh pilgrims had paid obeisance at the shrine last year, while the number of pilgrims was 3,52,771 in 2015, 3,20,490 in 2016 and 2,60,003 in 2017. (With inputs from agencies)

Over 3.20 lakh pilgrims visit annual Amarnath cave shrine; 26 die during yatra

As many as 95,923 pilgrims have performed the Amarnath Yatra since it started on July 1. However, no fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to move towards the cave due to a protest called by locals to commemorate the death of Hizbul militant Burhan Wani.

Burhan Wani was killed in Kokernag area of Anantnag district on July 8, 2016 in a gunfight with the security forces.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti said that the arrangements made by the government are causing inconvenience to locals.

"Amarnath Yatra is taking place since years. But unfortunately, the arrangements done this year are against the people of Kashmir. It's causing a lot of trouble in the day-to-day lives of local people. I would like to request the Governor to intervene in this," news agency ANI quoted the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister.

She further said that restriction on the use of Jammu and Kashmir highway by the locals is excesses against people by the Central government.&nbsp;

However, Governor Satyapal Malik asked people to bear with the curbs imposed on civilian traffic on the national highway for two hours daily as it concerns the safety and the security of the pilgrims. 
 
Authorities have made tight security arrangements for the safety of pilgrims. Last month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a review meeting on security arrangements for the yatra. State Governor Satyapal Malik also was also present in the review meeting.

Before the Home Minister's visit, Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh visited units deployed for security of Amarnath yatra and reviewed the security arrangements on both the axis of Baltal and Pahalgam.&nbsp;

The 46-day long Amarnath Yatra kicked off on July 1 and will conclude on the 15th of next month coinciding with Raksha Bandhan. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

As many as 95,923 pilgrims have performed the Amarnath Yatra since it started on July 1. However, no fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to move towards the cave due to a protest called by locals to commemorate the death of Hizbul militant Burhan Wani.

As many as 95,923 pilgrims have performed the Amarnath Yatra since it started on July 1. However, no fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to move towards the cave due to a protest called by locals to commemorate the death of Hizbul militant Burhan Wani. Burhan Wani was killed in Kokernag area of Anantnag district on July 8, 2016 in a gunfight with the security forces. Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti said that the arrangements made by the government are causing inconvenience to locals. "Amarnath Yatra is taking place since years. But unfortunately, the arrangements done this year are against the people of Kashmir. It's causing a lot of trouble in the day-to-day lives of local people. I would like to request the Governor to intervene in this," news agency ANI quoted the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister. She further said that restriction on the use of Jammu and Kashmir highway by the locals is excesses against people by the Central government. However, Governor Satyapal Malik asked people to bear with the curbs imposed on civilian traffic on the national highway for two hours daily as it concerns the safety and the security of the pilgrims. Authorities have made tight security arrangements for the safety of pilgrims. Last month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a review meeting on security arrangements for the yatra. State Governor Satyapal Malik also was also present in the review meeting. Before the Home Minister's visit, Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh visited units deployed for security of Amarnath yatra and reviewed the security arrangements on both the axis of Baltal and Pahalgam. The 46-day long Amarnath Yatra kicked off on July 1 and will conclude on the 15th of next month coinciding with Raksha Bandhan. (With inputs from agencies)

Over 95,000 visit Amarnath cave shrine; Mehbooba Mufti claims yatra arrangements irk locals

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Sunday visited the transit camp in Pantha Chowk en route the annual Amarnath Yatra to review food, medical arrangements for devotees.

"On myself being satisfied, it would not suffice. People should be satisfied and my review of the situation says that the people are satisfied," the Governor said while speaking to the reporters.

"The tourism industry is not affected by security arrangements. In my region of Western UP, there is no complaint against the devotees who go to temples during the pious Shravan month. Here, even if the traffic is blocked for an hour, people start complaining. People should be more tolerant," he added.

"By and large, the devotees are happy with the arrangements put in place and with the Kashmiri people," the Governor said."There are arrangements related to food and other basic amenities for the devotees," said a service provider at the camp.

"I really liked coming to Amarnath when I first came here in 1991. From 2001 onwards, I have been coming here continuously. The arrangements here are top-class and the armed forces provide us with security," said a devotee.&nbsp;

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Sunday visited the transit camp in Pantha Chowk en route the annual Amarnath Yatra to review food, medical arrangements for devotees.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Sunday visited the transit camp in Pantha Chowk en route the annual Amarnath Yatra to review food, medical arrangements for devotees. "On myself being satisfied, it would not suffice. People should be satisfied and my review of the situation says that the people are satisfied," the Governor said while speaking to the reporters. "The tourism industry is not affected by security arrangements. In my region of Western UP, there is no complaint against the devotees who go to temples during the pious Shravan month. Here, even if the traffic is blocked for an hour, people start complaining. People should be more tolerant," he added. "By and large, the devotees are happy with the arrangements put in place and with the Kashmiri people," the Governor said."There are arrangements related to food and other basic amenities for the devotees," said a service provider at the camp. "I really liked coming to Amarnath when I first came here in 1991. From 2001 onwards, I have been coming here continuously. The arrangements here are top-class and the armed forces provide us with security," said a devotee.

J&K: Governor Satya Pal Malik reviews arrangements for Amarnath Yatra

I am not religious, but I visited Amarnath.&nbsp;

Visiting Amarnath, standing in front of the Shivalingam gave me goosebumps. I have rarely experienced something like this. And believe me, I have travelled quite a bit around the world. I was crying uncontrollably. The CRPF jawans guarding the cave were staring at me from far, but would not walk up to me and ask me to leave as they were doing to other pilgrims.

I have never cried either before or after that in a public place and that also for no known reason.&nbsp;

Why was I so emotionally moved? Anything of exceptional beauty moves us and brings the tear to our eyes. Amarnath is all about ruggedness, snow-capped peaks. It is beautiful. But not in a soft filmy kind of way.&nbsp;

Gandhiji believed that trains are not good for the human civilisation. One reason he cited was that in ancient days pilgrims had to toil, very hard, to reach the holy places. But with the introduction of the railways, the toil and the effort involved in the process has vanished, making the act of pilgrimage trivial.&nbsp;

If you are planning to climb Amarnath by foot there is no way you can escape the toil involved. It is hard. Very hard indeed, particularly with so little oxygen available at that height. I lost all my toenails. I badly bruised myself.&nbsp; As I mentioned I was crying in front of the Shivalingam, it is because of the extreme hardship I suffered to reach the cave. I was muttering to myself or to God, I am not sure, that if I revisit, then it has to be because of an explicit directive from the Almighty. I will not come by choice. If there is a Supreme Being, it has to pull me in.

This is the first time, I am sharing such personal feelings about my Amarnath yatra. The reason being I am kind of stirred and divided over the rulings given by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The NGT has recently declared few guidelines about the Amarnath Cave that will guide tourists while in the area. The guidelines include, maintaining silence in front of Shivling, one-way queue of pilgrims, there should be no ringing of bells, no mobiles or belongings to be carried beyond the last check post.&nbsp;

The NGT justifies these steps to maintain the sanctity of the cave and to ensure no adverse noise impact on the Shivling.&nbsp;

I am on the same page with anybody asking for the conservation of historically, culturally and naturally unique sites. In its preciousness, Amarnath belongs to an exclusive niche. We have to ensure its longevity, and like other fragile places, such as Macchu Picchu, Petra, and the Mont Saint Michel, we have to ensure strict code of conduct for visitors.&nbsp;

The use of cell phones must be discouraged because it is a distraction. But asking pilgrims to deposit their belongings in a special locker room would create a big hassle and another long line for an exhausted group of people who often include elderly, people with special needs and women. If anyone of you have visited the Mughal Garden in New Delhi will know what I exactly mean. And, the Mughal Garden receives only a fraction of visitors that Amarnath gets every year.

But I am not sure why ringing of bells should stop and why there should be absolute silence in front of the Shivalinga. We are not visiting a moratorium or a sanctuary, we are visiting a religious site. We can promise and endeavour to keep it clean and safe but there is no need for this enforced silence.&nbsp;

Ringing the bell has been part of many religious rituals worldwide. All my life I have seen both my grandmas, my mom and mom-in-law to have rung the handbell, which they called the &#39;ghonta&#39; in Bengali while doing puja. The bell rings for a brief few seconds. The idea behind the act is to let the deity know that the devotee is there. Over the years, I have found a deeper underlying significance of ringing the bell; it acts as a referee&#39;s whistle. Once, the devotee enters the temple, the person rings to tell himself that it is now the time to focus on God alone. The bell marks the process of withdrawing from the material world to focus on the transcendental.

If ringing of bells is turning into a cacophony, the ideal thing will be to restrict the number of pilgrims visiting the Amarnath cave every day.

This is a very common practise among all important sites. Macchu-Picchu imposes a strict rule on the number of people that can visit the site at the top of the hill. Petra does not even allow people to enter the tombs or the stone buildings.&nbsp;

Amarnath needs to implement similar rules but it should not be felt as an imposition. The devotees and others visit the site out of sheer emotional needs, to satisfy their spiritual quest. The rules should retain the essence of the place and not do away with it.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

The devotees and others visit Amarnath out of sheer emotional needs, to satisfy their spiritual quest. The rules should retain the essence of the place and not do away with it.?

I am not religious, but I visited Amarnath. Visiting Amarnath, standing in front of the Shivalingam gave me goosebumps. I have rarely experienced something like this. And believe me, I have travelled quite a bit around the world. I was crying uncontrollably. The CRPF jawans guarding the cave were staring at me from far, but would not walk up to me and ask me to leave as they were doing to other pilgrims. I have never cried either before or after that in a public place and that also for no known reason. Why was I so emotionally moved? Anything of exceptional beauty moves us and brings the tear to our eyes. Amarnath is all about ruggedness, snow-capped peaks. It is beautiful. But not in a soft filmy kind of way. Gandhiji believed that trains are not good for the human civilisation. One reason he cited was that in ancient days pilgrims had to toil, very hard, to reach the holy places. But with the introduction of the railways, the toil and the effort involved in the process has vanished, making the act of pilgrimage trivial. If you are planning to climb Amarnath by foot there is no way you can escape the toil involved. It is hard. Very hard indeed, particularly with so little oxygen available at that height. I lost all my toenails. I badly bruised myself. As I mentioned I was crying in front of the Shivalingam, it is because of the extreme hardship I suffered to reach the cave. I was muttering to myself or to God, I am not sure, that if I revisit, then it has to be because of an explicit directive from the Almighty. I will not come by choice. If there is a Supreme Being, it has to pull me in. This is the first time, I am sharing such personal feelings about my Amarnath yatra. The reason being I am kind of stirred and divided over the rulings given by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The NGT has recently declared few guidelines about the Amarnath Cave that will guide tourists while in the area. The guidelines include, maintaining silence in front of Shivling, one-way queue of pilgrims, there should be no ringing of bells, no mobiles or belongings to be carried beyond the last check post. The NGT justifies these steps to maintain the sanctity of the cave and to ensure no adverse noise impact on the Shivling. I am on the same page with anybody asking for the conservation of historically, culturally and naturally unique sites. In its preciousness, Amarnath belongs to an exclusive niche. We have to ensure its longevity, and like other fragile places, such as Macchu Picchu, Petra, and the Mont Saint Michel, we have to ensure strict code of conduct for visitors. The use of cell phones must be discouraged because it is a distraction. But asking pilgrims to deposit their belongings in a special locker room would create a big hassle and another long line for an exhausted group of people who often include elderly, people with special needs and women. If anyone of you have visited the Mughal Garden in New Delhi will know what I exactly mean. And, the Mughal Garden receives only a fraction of visitors that Amarnath gets every year. But I am not sure why ringing of bells should stop and why there should be absolute silence in front of the Shivalinga. We are not visiting a moratorium or a sanctuary, we are visiting a religious site. We can promise and endeavour to keep it clean and safe but there is no need for this enforced silence. Ringing the bell has been part of many religious rituals worldwide. All my life I have seen both my grandmas, my mom and mom-in-law to have rung the handbell, which they called the 'ghonta' in Bengali while doing puja. The bell rings for a brief few seconds. The idea behind the act is to let the deity know that the devotee is there. Over the years, I have found a deeper underlying significance of ringing the bell; it acts as a referee's whistle. Once, the devotee enters the temple, the person rings to tell himself that it is now the time to focus on God alone. The bell marks the process of withdrawing from the material world to focus on the transcendental. If ringing of bells is turning into a cacophony, the ideal thing will be to restrict the number of pilgrims visiting the Amarnath cave every day. This is a very common practise among all important sites. Macchu-Picchu imposes a strict rule on the number of people that can visit the site at the top of the hill. Petra does not even allow people to enter the tombs or the stone buildings. Amarnath needs to implement similar rules but it should not be felt as an imposition. The devotees and others visit the site out of sheer emotional needs, to satisfy their spiritual quest. The rules should retain the essence of the place and not do away with it. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Let's save Amarnath, not destroy its religious essence

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