Bad experiences in Amarnath tour

From Ashadh Pournima to Shravan Pournima an Amarnath pilgrimage is organized. Shree Kiran Kulkari, the Goa based pious get chance to take part in this. The kinds of experience which he had are extremely bad and irritating.

Our wearied waiting of 16 hours

We did hear that Amarnath pilgrimage is unsafe and dangerous but we got to get the real experience about Amarnath pilgrimage this time. We started from Srinagar at 2 in the night and reached to Baltal at 6:15 am. We were waiting in the queue for helicopter from 6:15am and got tickets of 4:30 pm., because someone gave 200 tickets to some local person. Here we saw lack of discipline, but because of some generous devotees we could survive in that atmosphere with some tea, biscuits and parathas. Rs.3200/- for 7 minutes journey. We reached to Amarnath at 6pm. That journey was merely of 7 minutes, and for that we had to pay Rs. 3200/- per head.

Unreliable helicopter service

When we returned from that holy cave of Amarnath we came to know that because of bad whether conditions we have to stay back in Amarnath. Some of us were staying in Baltal.

Generosity of Hindus in Kashmir valley

Generous Hindus have started Langar (a place where food is arranged for pilgrims free of coast.) for Amarnath pilgrims. Since we had to stay back we went to Langar for dinner where they serve food without charging anything.

Lack of basic needs in Amarnath

We took a tent on rent (Rs.150/- per head) for that night, since we had to stay back in Amarnath, but in those tent basic needs for living were missing. We could hardly get a plastic (on which we were supposed to sleep) and a quilt. Also a low voltage bulb which they put off at 11pm. Also for basic facilities like drinking water and latrine we had to go out. The latrine which they had there were in extreme bad condition. Next day morning we gargle with a freezing water and got into queue for helicopter. There we came to know that because of firing in Baltal helicopter won't be available. For that matter we decided to pay Rs. 1200/- for a horse and Rs. 6000/- for Doli (a swinging cot).

Every year pilgrims come to Amarnath with a large number. Kashmir govt. can easily provide rooms, electricity, hot water, latrines etc. We really want to congratulate pilgrims who go there in a large number despite of having civic problems and lack of basic infrastructure. No one is ready to say a single word against the unjust happened with Amarnath pilgrims by Govt. or extremist

The Amarnath pilgrimage has a long tradition of 160 years. From Ashadh Pournima to Shravan Pournima lot of Hindus visits to this holy place, still there is a lack of infrastructure and basic needs. So pilgrims have to come back to their base at Baltal in that day only. So they have to travel walking distance of 32 kilometers in a single day, still we don't have any living facility near Amarnath cave. Pilgrims have to take food and drinking water with themselves. Devotees are facing major problems because of uncertainty of whether and lack of civic needs, infrastructure. Every where pilgrims accommodation is been arranged in tents. There are no permanent latrines on the way. So pilgrims have to do it in open air since there is no permission for construction on Forest land. In the last part (stage) of this pilgrimage the conditions are worst as never before.

(Don't forget all those political parties who are ready to give five star facilities to Haj pilgrims and ready to give free houses for them.)