AARYAN SHARMA
JAMMU: Ongoing turmoil in Kashmir Valley has resulted in steep decline in Amarnath Yatra figures and if the current trend continues, the final Yatra tally may not even cross 3 lakh mark this year.
Till date 1,79,530 Yatris had performed darshan at the Holy Cave this year but in the past 10 days the total number of pilgrims reaching here to perform darshan is fast dwindling with each passing day. Another biggest worry on the minds of those connected with the Yatra is that in the absence of ice lingam, which has already melted in the cave shrine. The pilgrims coming from far off places would be finding it difficult to motivate themselves to come down to Kashmir Valley to perform darshan.
Since 2004 the overall Yatra statistics have always crossed milestone of 3 lakh barring 2007 when 2.96 lakh pilgrims performed darshan.
At the peak of Amarnath land row in 2008 over 5.3 lakh pilgrims had performed darshan inside the sanctum sanctorum located in the South Kashmir district of Ananatnag.
Enthusiastic pilgrims paid little heed to the land row controversy and came out in large numbers to perform darshan of ‘ice lingam’.
Three years later the Amarnath Yatra touched the highest mark of 6.36 lakh as more and more emphasis was laid on improving the facilities for pilgrims by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.
Health checks were made mandatory as the total number of deaths caused due to sudden cardiac arrest crossed 100 mark in 2011.
Shri Amarnath Shrine Board also launched an aggressive campaign in the media to ensure lesser number of pilgrims fall prey to the challenges of trekking high altitude Yatra track. Even the base camps were equipped with basic health infrastructure facilities to provide emergency services to critically ill pilgrims at various places along the route.
Ever since SASB took the control of the Yatra in 2001, the number of pilgrims who visited the holy cave have been increasing. In 2001 1.91 lakh pilgrims performed darshan, 1.10 lakh in 2002, 1.70 lakh in 2003, 4.0 lakh in 2004, 3.88 lakh in 2005, 3.47 lakh in 2006, 2.96 lakh in 2007.
