The journey of the Chhari Mubarak- Lord Shiva’s sacred mace – is the Central element of the annual Sri Amarnath Yatra to the Holy Amarnath Cave in the hinterland of the Lidder Valley.
Traditionally, housed in the Shri Amreshwar Temple at the Dashnami Akhara Building near Amira Kadal in Srinagar, the Chhari Mubarak procession marks the first milestone of the Yatra.
The Chhari Mubarak comprises two sacred maces, revered as the physical embodiments of the Divine Couplr- symbolizing the presence of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
The legend of this tradition goes to antiquity when Lord Shiva once observed a limping pilgrim struggling to make his way to the Holy Cave Shrine. To reward his Devotion, the Lord handed over to him His own walking stick. Graced, with the Lords benediction, the man made the pilgrimage all his life every year in reverence to the Lords mercy. Following his death, it is believed that this tradition was followed by his descendants and continues in the line of the appointed Mahants till date without any interruption.
We know how the Chhari now begins its journey from Jammu, arrives in Srinagar where it is kept at the Dashnami Akhara, and then taken by Mahant Dipender Giri after the puja to Pahalgam, from where it proceeds to the Cave Shrine via Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni.
Since time immemorial, the Chhari Mubarak preceded the annual Yatra to which the yatris joined beyond Chandanwari.
However, of late , this tradition of Chhari Mubarak, which is the most essential element of the Yatra, has been separated from the main annual Yatra and is symbolically taken separately by about a month or so after which the Yatra is thrown open to public and devotees for the pilgrimage.
Whatever ,may be the reasons for this deviation, the new practice has no religious mandate. This in fact is the breach of age-old Hindu tradition and religious belief.
It is to be regretted that no pilgrim or any Hindu has even raised a whimper against this blasphemy and they even seem to be unconcerned about this infringement on their religious tradition.
Another startling thing about this unholy practice is that the early and independent arrival of the Holy Mace often coincides with the arrival of a top dignatory or a VIP from the Goverent. In more recent times, it has been the LG of the UT since coincidentally they have all been Hindus ever since the present BJP Government is in power.
The annual Sri Amarnath Yatra remains an unwavering commitment of H8ndu religious traditions. But regrettably the tradition, that itself has been connected to this Yatra is now breached.
The preponed and separate Yatra of Chhari Mubarak with the main Yatra is neither mandated nor can it augur auspicious. Their conjoined pilgrimage is the essence of of this Holy Yatra. Segregating Chhari Mubarak from main Yatra is betraying the faith of Hindus.
This recent development is an administrative and logistical convenience forced on hapless Yatris. It has no religious authority. That itself raises the question does Government have the authority to infringe the faith and tradition of millions of Indians who are Hindus.
The practice of a tradition is part of religion and if the tradition is age old, then it becomes religion itself.
Although change of religion is not uncommon in history where masses convert from one faith into another due to historical forces beyond the fact when individuals too make such choices.
But even then tradition sometimes assumes a greater and more important significance that religion itself.
This reminds this writer , of two instances where religion has taken back seat before tradition.
It is not in too distant past when Pandit Nehru attending the Bandung Conference in Jakarta, Indonesia in 1952 was entertained to an officially staged play that showed a scene from Ramayana.
Witnessing the officially staged Ramayana play in the host country of the Islamic Republic of Indonesia startled Nehru to no ends when he enquired from President Sukarno how is that yours being a Muslim could stage a Hindu play for the official entertainment programme of the visiting dignitaries.
To this Sukarno with a wise smile on his face, wishpered into Nehru’s ear sitting next to him: ” We may have changed our religion, but we have not abandoned our traditions”.
In more recent times, when Atal Behari Vajpayye, in 1988, as a member of an visiting indian delegation stayed in a hotel named Kanishka in Kabul .
Quite biweldered by the name of his hotel where exreme Islamic diehards like Talibans marked a strong impress in the Islamic society of Afghanistan, Shri Vajpayee asked the then Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, ” how is that in a country like yours you have named a hotel Kanishka. What have you to do with Kanishka. He was our Buddhist king”.
To this the Fireign Minister of Afghanistan simply replied that “Kanishka was their ancestors as well as during his reign part of Afghanistan came under his rule. So we have this tradition to remember our ancestors no matter to what religion they might have belonged to”.
In reply Shri Vajpayee to his great delight in his own indomitable style quipped ” how wonderful it is that we have common ancestors. Kanishka belonged to us and he belongs to you as well”.
Both these instances remind us that even in more modern times tradition takes precedence over religion.
But tragically, reverse is the case with the Sri Amarnath Yatra. The writer implores the authorities to restore the age old tradition of Chhari Mubarak in order to maintain the religious sanctity of the Sri Amarnath Yatra.
Or else it betrays all the three, the Hindu faith, the Hindu religion and the Hindu tradition.
Notwithstanding the ground realities in Kashmir, the Hindus there too count. The symbols of their religious beliefs and tradition are as paramount as they can be for any other religion of India.
Needless to remind we are a secular State and nothing should infringe on the religion of the majority population of this country.
(The writer is a Jammu based environmentalist and a regular contributor to this Website.)
(Feedback at: blparimoo@gmail.com)
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