A Pilgrimage of Harmony

Amarnath Yatra, spanning 38 days, commenced on Thursday, July 03, through two routes: the 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in the Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in the Ganderbal district. The Amarnath pilgrimage is a symbol of communal harmony and brotherhood among different communities. It is a unique pilgrimage performed by the people of one faith and facilitated by the people of another faith.

Instrumental in the running of the annual pilgrimage is the role local Kashmiri Muslims have played over the years, whatever the situation arises.

One of the base camps at Baltal in the Ganderbal district on the banks of the Nallah Sindh remains active round the clock. The common sight at Baltal is of the Kashmiri Muslims, who are the major local service providers to Amarnath pilgrims during the annual yatra. The local service providers mostly consist of those people who have installed their kiosks and tents for yatris and are seen eagerly waiting to receive them. Shakeel Ahmad, a local service provider (ponywalla) who has been taking pilgrims to the cave for many years during the annual Amarnath Yatra, said that he cares more for the devotees than for himself during the journey. “I am used to such high terrains, but the devotees are our guests. I thank God when I drop them safely at the entrance of the cave and return to get another batch,” he said. Ferrying yatris on a palanquin, Fareed Khan has same thing to say. Khan, along with three other colleagues, ferries elderly yatris to Amarnath cave from Baltal camp on his middle-aged shoulders. While the yatris relax on the comfortable chair, Khan and his colleagues ferry the palanquin from Baltal to Amarnath cave and back to Baltal, a distance of 32 km to and fro. “The oxygen level dips during the trek, as the cave is situated 13,000 ft above sea level. The weather also changes unexpectedly during the journey, from sunny to rainy to snowy, adding that braving everything ensuresa safe journey for the pilgrims,” Khan says. Once you left base camp for the cave shrine, the shorter route to shrine cave is just about 14 km long but has a very steep gradient and is quite difficult to climb. It starts from Baltal and passes through Domial, Barari Marg, and Sangam to reach the cave. The pilgrims reach the cave shrine by foot or by chopper, with the majority of the pilgrims preferring ponies (horses) or palanquins (a kind of bed carried by four people on four sides).

Local Muslims are seen carrying pilgrims either on ponies or their shoulders. Risking their lives and braving the difficult trek, rains, hot and humid weather conditions, mud, and whatnotall along the route up to the holy cave, the local services provided, including ponywallahs and palanquin bearers, manage to provide a safe and comfortable journey to the Amarnath pilgrims. The treacherous route to the holy cave is abuzz with Yatris chanting ‘jai “bole’ and Kashmiri Muslims while simultaneously advising pedestrians and trains to stick to the hill end and not move on the valley end lest they fall down. En route you also find many tea stalls with photographs of Shiv Lingam on the hoardings of almost every shop.

Notably, thousands of Kashmiri Muslims join the Yatra every year, offering pilgrims’ services as workers, ponymen and palanquin-bearers, thus helping aged pilgrims in climbing the difficult trek of Baltal up to the cave on a palanquin.

Hundreds of locals every year also put up stalls at the yatra base camps at Baltal in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district and Pahalgam in South Kashmir, offering different kinds of materials for the pilgrims. Besides being a business provider for the locals, the Amarnath Yatra also showcases the bonding between Kashmiris and the pilgrims. “We have been coming here for years now to provide services to the Amarnath pilgrims who reach base camp and then leave for the holy cave for darshan,” said Mohammad Akbar, a local service provider. “Cutting across the religious lines, we, being hosts, ensure that the guests don’t face any inconvenience and also ensure their safety and successful pilgrimage.”

It doesn’t mean only business for us; however, besides earning a livelihood, it gives us an opportunity to serve and help the people of other religions, which gives us satisfaction,” another local service provider said. The Amarnath pilgrims also were all praise for the hospitality and helping nature of the Kashmiri people, facilitating and providing different kinds of services to them to ensure a successful pilgrimage.

The yatris also hail the gesture and services of local Muslim service providers. A group of pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh said the cave offers the best lesson on how people should live. “This is the best example for the world on how we all should live in peace and harmony,” they said.

Ajay Sharma, a young devotee, said the Amarnath pilgrimage is a great example of interreligious harmony. “Muslims provide you warm water to take a bath. They take you on their shoulders so that you reach the holy cave unhurt and provide you the ponies for the hassle-free journey. This is simply remarkable,” Sharma said. The Kashmiri Muslims make up a major part of the service providers who facilitate the annual Hindu pilgrimage every year, showcasing the real Kashmiriyat and communal harmony.

The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), the J&K government and the local administration have made all the arrangements for the annual yatra. Besides, heightened security arrangements have been made to ensure a peaceful yatra.

 The author is a senior correspondent at Greater Kashmir.