Despite all odds, pilgrims are determined to go ahead

Despite all odds, pilgrims are determined to go ahead
PRADEEP DUTTA

JAMMU, AUGUST 2: Undeterred by the killings of Amarnath yatris in Pahalgam, pilgrims continue pouring in at various registration counters for darshan slips only to get disappointed that the yatra has been suspended. However, most of the pilgrims are overzealous to have darshan despite all odds.

``No enemy has power to stop us from paying obeisance at the Amarnath cave. We will prefer to embrace death rather than leaving our Amarnath journey half way,'' said Nanda Deepak Bandawalkar, who reached here on Wednesday morning from Pune. She is accompanied by a group of over 50 people, presently putting up at the railway station.

They came to know about the spate of violent incidents in the state on their way to Jammu. Many people, who were travelling along with them advised them to cancel their trip. But they did not listen to them and instead decided to have what is in store for them.

``I love trekking because it is adventurous. And adventure lovers are never afraid of such things. They move ahead come what may,'' said Vithal Raghunand, a pilgrim from Maharashtra.

Many among them are those who had a miraculous escape in Wednesday's firing by three Lashkar-e-Toiba militants on the pilgrims at the Hari Singh High School registration complex.

When the militants opened fire on them, the tourist officials on duty in the school building in order to save themselves ducked behind the wall forgetting signing at the registration card on which they have already put the stamp.

``I don't know what God is up to. Earlier, my registration got delayed due to illness. And now when I have the form, it is unsigned. Even if I complete all formalities, I am not sure whether the yatra will be resumed,'' says Sunil Kumar, resident of Mughal Sarai, Delhi.

Many like Sunil appear dejected following the closing down of registration counters here because of the prevailing law and order situation in the state. Despite all odds, the pilgrims are determined to visit the holy cave. Without proper lodging facilities, these pilgrims are lying under the Jewel Chowk fly-over with a hope that yatra will once again start and they will be able to fulfill their long time wish of visiting Amarnath cave.

There is no fear on their faces. The only worry is that if the yatra is cancelled they will have to wait for another year to have a darshan of the ice-lingam.

However, some of the pilgrims who for the past three days are stranded here have lost hope. They have instead decided to have darshan of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.

``Ghar waapis jaane se to acha hai maiya ke darshan karte chalo. Dil ko kuch to shanti milegi (Instead of going back home it is better to have a darshan of Vaishno Devi shrine. This will at least give some peace of mind),'' remarked Chotu Dass of Alwar, while boarding a bus to Vaishno Devi.

Allha Rakha, a clerk at the State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) ticket counter informed that following suspension of the pilgrimage the rush of yatris going to Katra has increased manifolds. By afternoon about 34 vehicles have been booked as compared to 10-12 vehicles going during normal period.

``Because of the curfew we cannot move out. It is better to visit Katra rather than sitting at one place in a lodge,'' said another Amarnath yatri heading for Vaishno Devi Shrine.

The yatra resumes or not but pilgrims will never forget this year when they have to fight on all fronts, be it weather, administration and now militancy.