Earlier, when the yatra used to be held for just a brief time, the Kashmiri Muslims used to make the necessary arrangements for the yatris. By doing so, they also used to earn their livelihood while these days, those means are uprooted by the concerned administration and do not auger well for the overall essence of the pilgrimage which always remained there as a great example of coexistence. The Kashmiri Muslims have always been facilitators of yatra and hold no ill will against people from any religion. There have been instances when the vehicles carrying yatris met with accidents—the subsequent scenes of care and hospitality of those injured might not be visible anywhere else in the world.
We cannot do away with the fact that there are fringe elements that are hell-bent to disturb the yatra and have been carrying out such acts here and there. However, so far they have largely failed just they may have killed many pilgrims but the love and respect of the locals for Amarnath Yatris has grown more or more. Under present circumstances, while the security forces have already devised a plan for ensuring foolproof security during the Amarnath Yatra, the locals also have got a role to play which they should do with dedication.
There is immense love for Bholenath, the cave and the Shivling—which is formed naturally out of the ice—and the same should increase manifold while the guests who are set to reach here for Yatra should be welcomed with open arms. It needs to be noted here that locals have been conducting Yatra through all the circumstances and those at the helm of affairs should not snatch that bond from the people of Kashmir. The people of Kashmir have to facilitate the guest pilgrims who will be reaching here by the end of June this year to conduct the yatra after a passage of at least three years. They are going to be jubilant to finally be able to be here, and they need to be accorded a warm welcome. The communal harmony which Kashmir has been famous for needs to thrive and the bond that the people of this part of the world share with their Hindu brethren needs to present strong with every passing day—no matter the circumstances.
