Background Drama
I was then a Research Fellow in Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) at Dehradun. One day I was going through “Hindustan Times” in Wahid’s (student from Bangladesh) room at International Hostel when I stumbled across the notification by Jammu & Kashmir government regarding the Amarnath Yatra 2003.
IIRS Campus, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
It was 15th June 2003 and the last date for application for registration was 28th June 2003. The Darshan will go on for one month only from 12th July to 12th August 2003. I had to fill up the application form (downloaded from Internet), get a medical fitness certificate from a Government hospital and then submit the form for registration at some designated branch of J & K bank. In Uttaranchal at that time there was no branch of that bank. I have to go either to Meerut or Delhi for that.
It was 25th June and one round at Doon Hospital for medical certificate bore no fruit. Next day I went early, gave ten rupees for chai-pani (you know) to the right person and got the certificate. Since I had some work to do in New Delhi I decided to try my luck in Karol Bagh branch of J & K Bank there for registration. Only two more days to go; may be the Yatri quota for New Delhi is already exhausted !
With lurking doubt I boarded the night bus for Delhi. It was 27th June morning –“I am sorry. You are too late. Entire Delhi quota is exhausted,” said the bank manager of the Karol Bagh branch of J & K Bank. An hour of haggling and cajoling followed. At last the kind Sardar’ji relented. He took out one blank registration form probably from VIP quota and handed it over to me.
The Darshan date was 12th July 2003 and route was through Pahalgam. “You cannot change the date or route”, Sardar’ji told me, matter of factly. “Who is asking for that anyway?” I chuckled. In fact I was itching for an early darshan, because I have heard that at the later stage of the Darshan Season the “Ice Lingam” inside the Cave melts due to the heat generated by the lakhs of visiting pilgrims. I quickly filled up the form and got it stamped by the registration officer. With the bureaucratic hassles over I triumphantly returned to Dehradun, thanking all the way Amarnath Baba for being so gracious to me.
The Darshan date was 12th July 2003 and route was through Pahalgam. “You cannot change the date or route”, Sardar’ji told me, matter of factly. “Who is asking for that anyway?” I chuckled. In fact I was itching for an early darshan, because I have heard that at the later stage of the Darshan Season the “Ice Lingam” inside the Cave melts due to the heat generated by the lakhs of visiting pilgrims. I quickly filled up the form and got it stamped by the registration officer. With the bureaucratic hassles over I triumphantly returned to Dehradun, thanking all the way Amarnath Baba for being so gracious to me.
The Yatra
Days flied by and on the sunny afternoon of 8th July I set out for the “journey”. I first went to Saharanpur by bus, from there I boarded the Hemkunt Express and reached Jammu early next morning. There I found no local buses were being allowed by the security to ply to Pahalgam. After thorough security check I was allowed to board a Pahalgam bound bus reserved only for Yatris. About 200 km from Jammu towards Srinagar we crossed the Pir Panjal range through the 2500 m long Jawahar Tunnel and as soon as we emerged from the tunnel we found ourselves in the green, lush Vale of Kashmir - “The Heaven on Earth”. Small doll like rosy cheeked, beady eyed Kashmiri children waved at us as our bus trundled by their hamlets. As we drew closer to the road bifurcation for Srinagar and Pahalgam I noticed the heavy presence of security personnel. They were there at every inch of the road, on every rooftop, toting their automatics and cautiously returning the smiles we were beaming to them. We reached Pahalgam at about 6 pm. Another round of security check followed. I hired a cot in a tent for hundred rupees. Then I started helping myself on free delicacies served by tens of “langars” mostly run by Gujratis. Free STD telephone booth was there though the network was not stable.
10th July: Quickly finishing the morning chores in the bitter cold I boarded the local minibus for Chandanwari. Our convoy reached Chandanwari at about nine o’clock. Warm milk, chole bature, toffees greeted us along with the customary security check. From now on no more motored transport available. We have to trek along the Lidar valley upto the Holy Cave. So, the “journey” had entered the “Yatra” phase. Our next destination, Pissu Top, was just three kilometers away but the track was very steep. Initially I refused to hire “pitthu” (mountain porters). I am not old, moreover I am on a pilgrimage, so no question of hiring a pitthu – I reasoned to myself. But after tripping twice on the slippery glacier surface I wisely handed over my haversack and slipping bag to one such fellow. His name was Md. Ahmed, a student of class nine. For this one month he, along with his brothers, is working as mazdoor (labourer). Last year one of his brothers died by slipping inside a treacherous crevasse in glacier.
Partly frozen Lidar River
He gave me an insight to the appalling level of poverty prevailing in the Valley. Soon I realized I couldn’t breathe fully, I could hardly drag myself up. After struggling for more than three hours, taking numerous “five minutes rests” we reached Pissu Top.
All along Ahmed and I took snaps at regular intervals (by now Ahmed had learnt basics of photography from me). We saw security personnel virtually everywhere, sitting on barren rock outcrops or lurking behind bushes; on the roadside or atop the mountain range.
Alert paramilitary jawan
Yatris greeted them with “Bom Bhole” and they also replied similarly. As we approached Sheshnag, the serene, green glacial lake surrounded by snake like mountains studded with glaciers and peaks gleaming with freshly fallen snow captivated me.
Lake at Sheshnag
Vivid green meadows with horses grazing on them, small hamlets dotting the landscape – it is God’s very own land. We, outsider’s can come here only with “His” consent. For here weather can change at a very brief notice. On many earlier occasions pilgrims had to retreat from this place due to incessant blizzard.
At about three o’clock we reached Sheshnag. I relieved Ahmed from his duties, gave some “beshkish” (tips) to him, rented a tent and lay down for rest.
Camp at Sheshnag, 3:30 pm
The tent was good, erected by J & K Govt, furnished with sleeping bag, blankets. It cost me Rs.120. My breathing problem was worsening. I suffered pain while coughing also. I visited the medical camp there. The doctor could give oxygen for about five minutes only as many people were in the queue for same reason. I took some little food and with looming doubt about my ability in continuing the Yatra I retired for night. Meanwhile the riot of colours on the snow-covered peaks played by the setting sun lifted me to a world of different perception, altered priorities.
Sheshnag mountain peak, 6 pm
Anyway, after a difficult sleep the next morning I felt much better.
11th July: In the biting cold I went through the morning rituals. The water numbed my head during bathing. I met a monk from Ramakrishna Order. Apart from him I could not find any other Bengali pilgrims. Majority of the Yatris are Gujratis and rest from South India. Our next destination - Mahagunas Top, another stretch of ascent. Taking no chances now, I hired a pony. From the Top I was upon my feet again. By now I had become sufficiently acclimatized. By noon I reached Panjtarni. My initial plan was to halt there for the night. But, as time was at hand, and only six more kilometers to go I decided to move on after taking the lunch at Panjtarni. The last three kilometers trudge was completely on ice. I was dead tired and the haversack was weighing like a mountain. I lay down on ice with my rolled sleeping bag serving as pillow as I watched the pilgrim trail crawling by me, periodically breaking the stoic, majestic silence of the mountains with roars of “JAI KARAR BIR BAJRANGE, HAR HAR MAHADEV, and BOM BHOLE”. The cave could now be seen at a distance.
Pilgrim trails, 2 km from the Cave
Two kilometers before the cave I halted and rented a tent from Md. Shafi. It was raining, and the Lidar River with its glacier melt water was flowing by just next to my tent. I stood there in the open, exposing myself to the elements, gazed lazily at the files of pilgrims on both side of the glaciated valley. I suddenly felt very ecstatic and thrilled as the ambience slowly permeated into me. Maybe I got an answer to some unasked queries of the subconscious ! Meanwhile I discovered mountains had robbed me of my appetite. It was a boon in disguise, for I no longer had to bother in that front from then onwards. Though my official date of darshan was on the next day I decided to have Baba’s darshan that day itself. An electrifying bath in the ice cold water of the river followed. After buying items for puja from a shop cut out from ice I headed for the final assault.
Half an hour in the queue, observing the holy pigeons, we finally entered the Holy Cave. It is a huge exposed limestone cavern. Incessant tolling of bells, hysteric chants of pilgrims, some sobbing out of ecstasy, bowing and touching of the holy stairs of the Cave temple, coupled with haggled CRPF personnel busy controlling the devotees – you just close your eyes, you will get the picture.
Inside the Cave
In front of “Baba” I had to jostle with fellow pilgrims for offering Puja, taking photos while evading the stern looks of security personnel there. After the dream-come-true darshan I collected the melt water from the “lingam” and returned to my tent.
Baba Amarnath
12th July: Early in the morning I climbed the glacier with a bottle of water (you know why). I was not alone, few fellow Yatris and one security guard gave me company. After finishing the mundane chores I again had the darshan but this time frequent VIP visits by helicopters and the associated security paraphernalia delayed the “general public darshan” by about two hours.
VIP visit
I was taking a snap of one such helicopter when a gurkha soldier of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) snatched my camera and tried to take out the reel. Keeping my cool I “explained” to him that I was not taking any photograph but only testing the focus of the camera. By god’s grace he “understood” and returned the camera and that is how I could show you the photographs. Darshans over, it was time to return quickly. The incessant drizzles were making way to snow falls and the mountain tracks were becoming increasingly hostile. I hired another pony, took the shorter route to Baltal. With a running temperature I made night halt there.
13th July morning: Boarded the bus for Jammu. Jai Baba Barfani...
