Sanjeev K. Sharma
Jammu, Feb 4: Though the business associated with pilgrimage and tourism has heaved a sigh of relief after the authorities in J&K eased COVID-19 triggered restrictions, yet, the stakeholders believe that much more should be done by the Government to make the ‘business as usual’.
As these stakeholders claim that complete normalcy will take some more time to return fully, the visiting pilgrims expressed enthusiasm and lauded arrangements at world famed shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji.
After paying obeisance at the revered shrine in Trikuta Hills, Ajay Sharma, 27, priest at Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Temple said that he visited the cave shrine for the second time and the arrangements put in place for safe and hassle-free pilgrimage made him feel at home.
He also said that pilgrims should visit the cave shrine fearlessly to seek blessings of the Goddess and pray for health and wellbeing of the mankind.
“Mahakaleshwar Temple too witnessed similar closure under restrictions for some months due to the pandemic but the encouraging words of PM Modi always motivated us,” he maintained adding that he prayed to the Goddess at cave shrine for wellbeing and welfare of entire mankind.
“Though the shops selling essentials to the pilgrims have now started their business as the restrictions have been relaxed by the authorities, yet, the business is not fully back as it was earlier in normal days,” Sanjeev Sharma, owner of a shop selling Prasad, Chunri etc to the visiting pilgrims at Katra said.
Recalling losses suffered by him and others in the market last year, he said, though their earnings stayed at zero due to the closure of the shrine, yet, they had to pay electricity and water bills.
However, Sharma expressed satisfaction on reopening of the market and claimed that only 70 per cent of the business is back on track.
“With the advent of COVID vaccine and easing of more restrictions in future the business may completely return to earlier profits of normal days in coming some months,” he maintained.
Rakesh Wazir, president Hotel and Restaurant Association Katra when contacted said, business of hoteliers had slipped below zero as the trains and interstate bus services were suspended following nationwide lockdown due to the pandemic but now the pilgrimage has picked up pace.
“More pilgrims may visit the revered shrine if inter-state buses are allowed from Lakhanpur and more restrictions are removed as has been done in other States,” he said.
“At almost no station in the country COVID tests are being done on the visitors but in J&K it is being done at Katra and Jammu,” leader of Katra hoteliers said urging Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha to further remove or ease the remaining restrictions from the pilgrimage so that it may proceed normally as number of COVID positive cases have fallen drastically in J&K.
Wazir also said that normal pilgrimage of Vaishno Devi shrine will boost the economy not only of Katra but also of entire J&K and will reduce the unemployment to a large extent.
“The closure of about 800 hotels, lodges and restaurants in Katra alone had left about 30,000 people jobless,” Wazir further said, adding: “As the business is now moving towards normalcy about 30 per cent of the ousted employees have been reemployed in the hotel industry.”
The scenario was not encouraging at Kol Kandoli temple, first Darshan of Shri Vaishno Devi Ji pilgrimage in Nagrota where Jai Kumar Sharma, priest at the temple said only local devotees are visiting the temple and outside pilgrims have become rare.
“Only 15 per cent of the devotees have returned and kiosks selling flowers and other offerings for the deity are also suffering due to this low number after the reopening of religious places,” he informed.
On plans for this year, the Kol Kandoli temple priest informed that there will be 10 day celebrations with special rituals during upcoming Navratras in April this year while on Shivratri and other festivals too similar arrangements will be made in the temple.
He said that being the first darshan of Mata Vaishno Devi Ji pilgrimage, the vehicles carrying pilgrims should stop at Kol Kandoli temple so that the devotees may pay obeisance here and the Government should make arrangements for this.
Bawe Wali Mata-famed fort shrine in Jammu is also witnessing devotees after a lull of months together.
“Easing of restrictions has brought 50 per cent of our business back on track as now offering to the deity like flowers, sweets etc are allowed inside the temple by the authorities,” Ankush Khajuria, 28, running a shop in the market of Bawe Wali Mata temple said.
After suffering losses due to closure of the temple last year he said, now they are preparing for good business this year.
Meanwhile, the ever-busy Raghunath Bazaar of Jammu is again witnessing huge footfall and outlets of big brands are back with appealing hoardings offering big discounts.
“Business is back on track here as apart from other visitors people of Kashmir also throng this bazaar,” Surinder Mahajan, president of Raghunath Bazaar Traders Association told this reporter.
He claimed that about 50 per cent of the business has returned but number of outside tourists visiting the bazaar is very less.
“We have more customers on festivals and other holidays,” Mahajan maintained claiming loss of 80 per cent business in last year lockdown due to the pandemic which further led to unemployment.
“About 300 shops in the market left about 1000 men jobless as the business stayed near zero in those days,” Mahajan claimed adding: “Still we managed and helped such employees in one way or the other.”
It is pertinent to mention here that temples and other religious places across the country were shut for months together, perhaps for the first time in the history, in the wake of deadly Coronavirus pandemic triggered lockdown.
The pandemic consumed lakhs of human lives across the world and badly hit the world economy.
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