Amarnath yatra resumes after two days but numbers falling to the vanished lingham

SRINAGAR: Authorities finally permitted stalled yatra to Amarnath resume for two days. But the numbers are not encouraging. Even after 23 of the 55 days yatraare over, the overall numbers are yet to cross 2.70 lakh.

People associated with the Hindu pilgrimage said the fallen numbers have a different set of reasons. Uttarkhand disaster had a major impact on devotees. Then, the reports about soaring mercury leading to melting of shiva lingham, darshanof which is central to the yatra, add to the disinterest. And more recently the situation that evolve don the highway because of Gool killings was the latest reason.

"It is a fact that the Uttarkhand tragedy has led to many cancellations including booking for choppers as well," Naveen Choudhary, the CEO of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) said. "But neither me nor any member of the board have the authority to talk about the Lingham." More than three lakh pilgrims had visited the cave shrine in the first 20 days.

Nazir Ahmad, a horsemen who is at the cave almost every week during yatra, said the linghamwas completely melted, last Friday. "Everybody knows it," he said on phone from Pahalgam.

Officials who are traditionally associated with the yatrasaid though the lingham,the ice stalagmite has never lasted the full length of the pilgrimage, duration of which varies as per the lunar calendar, there were years when it did not form at all. In 2006, it did not form at all forcing the then SASB administration to create an artificial one and eventually announcing a probe into its own affairs.

Formation of the stalagmite is a natural process involving dripping of glacial melt into the cave. It melts as temperature rises. But the Lingham's'vanishing act' at 13000 ft above sea level has remained a major issue for SASB because it invariably triggers fall in footfalls to the cave. The Board has carried out a series of studies to ensure the linghamsurvives for the yatraperiod. High Altitude Warfare Schools (HAWAS) and Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) which were hired by SASB, suggested the meltdown is triggered by ambient temperatures and emission of human energy. Apart from ventilation load of 36 kilo-watts, every single pilgrim emits 100 watts energy when he or she worships in the cave. There are 200 pilgrims inside at a time and that means 20 kilo watts.

Other factors that the twin defence establishments listed as early causes for meltdown included use of cameras, flash bulbs and burning of incense sticks, besides, flying of choppers in its immediate vicinity. SASB took certain decisions on basis of the suggestions that SASE and HAWS made. But it did not contribute in altering the longevity of the stalagmite substantially.

Later, SASB approached DRDO and IIT Mumbai with the same request. IIT designed Radiant Cooling Penal's aimed at managing the heat load formed within the cave. But it was not experimented because the idea ended up in litigation.

SASB later told the High Court that it has explored various options including adopting the ice skating rink technique, refrigeration inside the cave, putting frozen brine trays, air curtain, and radiant cooling panels. There were certain experiment carried out in Mumbai, Srinagar and Gulmarg. But the Court stayed an intervention in the natural process.

This has landed SASB in a situation that it can facilitate the travel to the cave through highly fragile twin tracks through glaciers but can not help in adding to the longevity of the stalagmite.

But officials said the linghamdoes not impact arrivals much. "I know that only 20 percent of the pilgrim come for the pujaof the lingham, rest are not aware of it," M Salim Beg, former Director General Tourism said. "So any fall will be within this category and not generally. I think Uttarkhand is scarier for them than the melting of the lingham."