Religious pilgrimage

By M L Satyan

Bengaluru, July 13, 2022: I am not against pilgrimage that is undertaken with true spiritual intention. However, let me highlight certain facts that do not usually draw our attention.

Recently a flash flood triggered by a cloudburst near the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in Jammu and Kashmir swept away pilgrims, killing 16 and leaving at least 40 others injured. An official on the ground said about 30-35 people were missing while five have been rescued. Gushing waters rolling down the mountain-side due to the incessant rain damaged 25 tents and three community kitchens where pilgrims were served food.

The shrine board has come under criticism for the handling of the yatra and placing tents at a vulnerable place near the cave shrine, which was hit by cloudburst and flash floods. On July 28 last year, flash floods apparently triggered by a cloudburst hit tents and several other structures near the cave.

Due to coronavirus restrictions, there were no pilgrims and so, no loss of life. Yet, no lessons were learnt. The shrine board chose the same camping site again which is located on a rivulet right next to the cave shrines and prone to flash floods.

Similar disaster took place in 2013 in various parts of Uttarakhand and certain parts of Himachal Pradesh. The scenes of collapsing houses, vanished roads, landslides, submerged houses/temples/idols of gods and filth-filled villages created an impression of watching a Hollywood movie. The most heart-breaking stories were about the people who were washed away in flood, innumerable difficulties faced by the pilgrims who survived in this disaster and the efforts of the army to save the stranded pilgrims.

The consequences of every disaster are the immediate relief and the long-term rehabilitation and disaster preparedness-related activities that are undertaken by the government, donor agencies and voluntary organizations. After every disaster the environmentalists have made statements that there has been a “zero disaster-preparedness” in the pilgrimage areas. We witness the never ending “blame-game” among the political parties and between the Central and State governments.

First of all, the disaster creates a spontaneous sympathy and secondly it draws our attention to relief/rehabilitation/disaster preparedness-related activities. Most often we forget one underlying factor. For this we need to raise certain fundamental questions like “Why do thousands of people undertake pilgrimages, including certain remote and high-risk areas? Who ultimately benefits from such pilgrimages? What safety measures are created by the pilgrimage centers to save the lives of pilgrims?”

In every religion certain unwanted and non-essential ceremonies, rituals and practices have been introduced by religious leaders for their selfish gains. These religious leaders brainwash the simple people to undertake pilgrimages to religious centers to obtain more blessings and graces from God. People are never taught that they could lead a meaningful life and obtain God’s blessings without undertaking any pilgrimage. Yet, the religious leaders propagate the need for pilgrimages and adopt various strategies to maintain such systems. The people are made to become “Godfearing” and not “God-loving”.

Millions of Christians undertake pilgrimage to “Holy Land.” It is noted that for every group of 50 to 75 pilgrims one priest gets free travel (with free board and lodge). Ultimately who gets material/financial benefits? It is the priests, travel agents/brokers, the religious authorities of every pilgrimage center located there and business people who run commercial establishments.

In the in-land pilgrimage to a place like Vailankanni, for example, the financial benefit goes to the religious authorities, hotels/restaurants, shops and travel agencies. Hindus undertake pilgrimages to various temples in India. Muslims undertake “Haj” pilgrimage. Again, the financial benefit goes to the religious authorities of the pilgrimage centers, travel agents/brokers and business establishments in such centers.

When it comes to safety measures, it is very disappointing to note that none of the pilgrim center has paid sufficient attention to it. I wish to substantiate this with a few examples. The tsunami on December 26, 2004 killed many outstation pilgrims as well as local people at Vailankanni. Did any safety measure exist then? No. Even after such a disaster, nothing substantial has been done to safeguard the pilgrims in case of another cyclone or tsunami.

Thousands of pilgrims visit Murugan Temple at Palani in Tamil Nadu. Rope Car was introduced for the pilgrims to visit the temple on the hill-top. Surprisingly, rope car accidents occur regularly there. Various types of accidents take place at Sabarimala in Kerala especially during rainy season. At Tirupathi temple in Andhra Pradesh common people have to stand in queue for 15 hours to get God’s darshan. From the adjacent forest wild animals attack the pilgrims now and then. Very little safety measures exist in such places where pilgrims come in millions.

I do not deny the fact that there are pilgrims (may be 30 percent) who make real sacrifices and undertake visits to pilgrim centers for their spiritual growth. The other 70 percent pilgrims undertake pilgrimage not as a spiritual exercise but as an “obligation” or “excursion” or “picnic” or “holiday camp.”.

A few examples: Several times I have traveled from Andhra Pradesh by train to Coimbatore during Sabarimala season. Most pilgrims sing (rather shout) in the morning and in the evening. They exhaust the water in the toilets and dirty them. While eating, they come across as starving persons. A lot of disturbance is created for the co-passengers. Insensitivity in the name pilgrimage!

At Vailankanni, there are liquor shops with names “Madha Wines” and “St. Mary’s Wine Shop.” Many pilgrims enjoy this with all types of non-veg items, especially fresh fish, crabs and prawns. They spend most of the time on outdoor activities like shopping and playing on the beach. Very little time is spent in prayer. Even the pilgrims who go there for prayer are tempted to get into a holiday mood.

It is time for us to introspect whether the pilgrimage really helps us to grow spiritually. Does pilgrimage strengthen our interpersonal relationships? Do we become more humane, see God in the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, imprisoned people and serve them? As responsible citizens, do we demand “safety measures”/ “disaster preparedness” from the management of the pilgrim centers? Let us think and act.