Local Muslims, who offer the bulk of the Amarnath yatra’s services, see it as more than just a means to an end. Local workers includes ponywallas and palanquin carriers risk their lives to provide the safety and comfort of Amarnath pilgrims despite the treacherous hike, rains, and hot and humid weather conditions along the road up to the sacred cave.
Every year, Muslims in Kashmir help organise a Hindu pilgrimage, demonstrating the true spirit of Kashmiriyat and communal peace.
The local Kashmiri Muslims have always played a crucial part in making sure the yearly pilgrimage goes off without a hitch.
During the Yatra, thousands of Muslims from Kashmir volunteered their skills as porters, ponymen, and palanquin-bearers to assist elderly pilgrims with the steep ascent from Baltal to the cave. At the yatra base camps in Baltal, in the Ganderbal district of central Kashmir, and Pahalgam, in the south of the region, hundreds of people set up booths every year, selling various goods to the pilgrims. The Amarnath Yatra is a celebration of Kashmiris’ and pilgrims’ shared history and culture.
We’ve been coming here for years to serve the pilgrims who make it to the base camp before heading to the holy cave for darshan on their way to Amarnath. According to Mohammad Akbar, a local service provider, “we as hosts ensure that the guests face no inconvenience and also ensure that their safe and successful pilgrimage.”
Another local service provider said, “It doesn’t mean only business for us, besides earning livelihood it gives us an opportunity to serve and help the people of other religions which gives us satisfaction.” Amarnath visitors were effusive in their admiration of the Kashmiri people, who went out of their way to aid them with every aspect of their journey.
Many of the pilgrims who spoke to Greater Kashmir expressed their excitement and lack of apprehension about the yatra. Himanshi, a traveller from Karnal, Punjab, thanked the people of Jammu and Kashmir for their hospitality and help during the Yatra. Kamal Mishra, a pilgrim from Ahmedabad, stated, “There is no fear in our mind, the arrangements by the government and the administration here are satisfying, and the locals are supporting us.”
Another traveller from Delhi named Mukesh Kumar commented on the role of Muslims during the Amarnath yatra, saying that the success of the holy trek can be attributed entirely to the collaboration and support of the Muslim community. According to him, Muslims performed a crucial role by supplying food, water, and other supplies to pilgrims throughout the whole path to the cave.
The base camps are a great example of the pilgrims’ energy, with the surroundings resonating to the cries of “Bam Bam Bholey.” The tourists are busy taking photographs and shopping for a wide variety of goods. Meanwhile, the UT government has planned every detail of the yearly pilgrimage.
Baltal, July 9: Kashmiris have always been revered for their warmth and generosity; this trait is on full display during the annual Amarnath yatra, when local Muslims go out of their way to serve Hindu pilgrims. This displays a picture of communal unity and Kashmir’s traditional syncretic culture.
Local Muslims, who offer the bulk of the Amarnath yatra’s services, see it as more than just a means to an end. Local workers includes ponywallas and palanquin carriers risk their lives to provide the safety and comfort of Amarnath pilgrims despite the treacherous hike, rains, and hot and humid weather conditions along the road up to the sacred cave.
Every year, Muslims in Kashmir help organise a Hindu pilgrimage, demonstrating the true spirit of Kashmiriyat and communal peace.
The local Kashmiri Muslims have always played a crucial part in making sure the yearly pilgrimage goes off without a hitch.
During the Yatra, thousands of Muslims from Kashmir volunteered their skills as porters, ponymen, and palanquin-bearers to assist elderly pilgrims with the steep ascent from Baltal to the cave. At the yatra base camps in Baltal, in the Ganderbal district of central Kashmir, and Pahalgam, in the south of the region, hundreds of people set up booths every year, selling various goods to the pilgrims. The Amarnath Yatra is a celebration of Kashmiris’ and pilgrims’ shared history and culture.
We’ve been coming here for years to serve the pilgrims who make it to the base camp before heading to the holy cave for darshan on their way to Amarnath. According to Mohammad Akbar, a local service provider, “we as hosts ensure that the guests face no inconvenience and also ensure that their safe and successful pilgrimage.”
Another local service provider said, “It doesn’t mean only business for us, besides earning livelihood it gives us an opportunity to serve and help the people of other religions which gives us satisfaction.” Amarnath visitors were effusive in their admiration of the Kashmiri people, who went out of their way to aid them with every aspect of their journey.
Many of the pilgrims who spoke to Greater Kashmir expressed their excitement and lack of apprehension about the yatra. Himanshi, a traveller from Karnal, Punjab, thanked the people of Jammu and Kashmir for their hospitality and help during the Yatra. Kamal Mishra, a pilgrim from Ahmedabad, stated, “There is no fear in our mind, the arrangements by the government and the administration here are satisfying, and the locals are supporting us.”
Another traveller from Delhi named Mukesh Kumar commented on the role of Muslims during the Amarnath yatra, saying that the success of the holy trek can be attributed entirely to the collaboration and support of the Muslim community. According to him, Muslims performed a crucial role by supplying food, water, and other supplies to pilgrims throughout the whole path to the cave.
The base camps are a great example of the pilgrims’ energy, with the surroundings resonating to the cries of “Bam Bam Bholey.” The tourists are busy taking photographs and shopping for a wide variety of goods. Meanwhile, the UT government has planned every detail of the yearly pilgrimage.
