[Reader-list] Secular Haj Vs Communal Amarnath

[Shivam Vij शिवम् विज्]

Oh yes certainly! Like you can take a helicopter to the cave from the
Baltal land (the famous 800 kanals). Even the trek from there is half
that of the Pahalgam route. Why then does the Baltal route still get
less yatris than the Pahalgam route? A langarwala from Punjab
explained that the Pahalgam route is the traditional route, he claimed
it has mention in he scriptures. He said the idea of he Amarnath
pilgrimage is the toil and hardship of walking up there - as in the
case of Vaishnu Devi. The effort is part of the devotion. But these
modern middle class pilgrims are not like the sadhus, the langarwala
laghed and so did I. They want a helicopter to the lingam, don't care
if the lingam melts, don't care if the hallowed shrine board doesn't
allow agarbattis and diyas - point is to just go there, come back,
shout bam bam bholay, wave the 'V' sign at army jawans, who shouts bum
bum bholay in return, as the Kashmiri Muslim looks on, and then looks
awa, lest he be called communal...

Pawan my friend, if you are planning to go next year, let me tell you
hat the helicopter sorties are available from 'Hindu' Jammu itself.
And if you are going to wait for a few years, don't worry, I am sure
the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board will ink a contract with Tata Sky or
Dish TV or whoever the highest bidder is, to telecast live darshan...

Bhum Bhum bholay!
shivam

On 8/17/08, Pawan Durani <pawan.durani at gmail.com> wrote:
> Shivam,
>
> The treck to Amarnath used to be very dangerous . Every year many people
> died. I remember when my maternal uncle went to yatra in late 70's , my
> grandma had not eaten for days.
>
> As the facilities would improve, so would the pilgrims increase.
>
> Dont you think I would visit Kailash, if it become easier to travel and more
> affordable ?
>
>
> Pawan
>
> On Sun, Aug 17, 2008 at 9:22 PM, Shivam Vij शिवम् विज् <mail at shivamvij.com>
> wrote:
> > It has, but not in such numbers as Haj or Kumbh. Even today Vaishnu
> > Devi gets 25 times more visitors than Amarnath.
> >
> > best
> > shivam
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On 8/17/08, Pawan Durani <pawan.durani at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > Shivam,
> > >
> > > Whatz wrong with you my brother ?
> > >
> > > If you have been ignorant, please dont justify it.
> > >
> > > Amarnath Yatra has been going for centuries ,even before Islam came into
> > > existence. I do not wish to slug it out again, but i request you to
> kindly
> > > read this link
> > >
> > > http://thekashmir.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/amarnath/
> > >
> > > Regards
> > >
> > > Pawan
> > >
> > >
> > > On Sun, Aug 17, 2008 at 9:16 PM, Shivam Vij शिवम् विज्
> <mail at shivamvij.com>
> > > wrote:
> > > > This is ridiculous, and worse, communally provocative. Under the
> > > > Indian Constitution, free speech does not include the right t provoke
> > > > violence between two communities, which this video almost does.
> > > >
> > > > It is ridiculous to compare Haj with Amarnath because Haj has existed
> > > > for centuries whereas Amarnath yatra as an obsession has been gaining
> > > > ground only since the late nineties - which is why many kashmiris see
> > > > the brouhaha over Amarnath as a provocation.
> > > >
> > > > Scrap the Haj subsidy, i say, and scrap it now. but why not compare
> > > > goverment spending and facilities on the Haj pilgrimage with, say, the
> > > > Kumbh mela?
> > > >
> > > > But that wouldn't help spread lies, hatred, violence.
> > > >
> > > > best
> > > > s
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On 8/14/08, Aditya Raj Kaul <kauladityaraj at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfN-rUlM8U8
> > > > >
> > > > > __._,_.___
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