controversy behind Amarnath yatra

Controversy behind amaranth yatra
Amarnath yatra is considered to be one of the holiest places for Hindus. It is here where a natural and magnificent ice shiv linga is formed. Traditionally the yatra used to last for one month as the basic infrastructure and amenities were lacking. However Mr. S.K. sinha the ex-governor of J&K improved the quality of the yatra by providing various facilities and thereby, It was possible to extend this yatra for two months. SASB (shri amarnathji shrine board) was formed and, the purpose of this board is to provide quality facilities to pilgrims coming from different parts of India.
It was the ruling coalition of congress and PDP, first proposing cabinet decision (No. 94/7 of 2008) for diversion of 39.88 ha land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. But elections round the corner in next 3-4 months in J&k, Mufti and his party have politicized the issue of allotting 800 canals (100 acres) of land to SASB.
Senior leader of PDP Muzaffar beig, alleged that it was their helplessness, that they passed this resolution as congress threatened that they will stop the construction of mougal road, which will join Kashmir with their “Muslim brethren” in poonch.The separatist faction of Hurriyat, headed by moulvi umar farooq and syed geelani, who are swore enemies of each other forgot their differences and joined hands together to protest this land deal. The reasons PDP cited were, that hundred of tress will be cut for constructions at baltal. Hurriyat factions alleged that SASB members are non State-subjects and hence aggressors and attackers. National conference was also not far behind with Omar Abdullah saying that this protest is a proof of Kashmir nationalism or patriotism. This mass uprising of Muslims in valley is not a sudden love for environment, but by protesting this land deal they are indirectly protesting Hindus and India. This mass uprising has been termed as an equivalent of 1990 when thousands of kashmiri Hindus were massacred on the name of religion and jihad.
The fact is that in 1998 Dr. Faroq Abdullah acquired 623 canals of forest land at sidra for construction of Muslim migrant colony. Another issue being exploited by the NC-PDP and others is the land in question was forest land (SASB Land) and that could not be transferred….. But what about the Mughal Road? 10,000 trees were cut, 30,000 wild lives were destroyed to construct Mughal Road. Who cleared the cabinet order in this regard? It was Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who as a chief Minister with the support of his Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Mangat Ram Sharma issued the cabinet order and destroyed forest land and wild life.
So called Indian secularist need to re-think as to what “secular” really means in India?
They also need to think who really are seculars….”Muslims” or “Hindus”. How is allotment of forest land to SASB different from allotment of forest land at sidra and mougal road? who is politicizing religion in J&K? Hindus or Muslims!!!!!!!!!!!!The double standards of Muslim politicians of j&k have once again been clearly exposed by this incident……..

Amarnath Yatra(Kashmir)

Amarnath yatra
Amarnath is yet another name of lord Shiva. I had the pleasure of going to Amarnath twice. You can go to Amarnathji via The beautiful town of pehalgoan(pehalgam).This route will take you around 2-3 days to reach Amarnathji depending on your pace. This particular route have some of the best vistas one can see and enjoy. The typical route is pehalgam-16kms-Chandanwari- 12kms-Pissu top&sheshnagh-(12kms)-Mahagunus top&
Panchtarni -6kms-Holy cave.(total 46 kms from pehalgam)
There is a shorter route also available which has its base at Baltal. Nowadays it is mandatory to get yourself registered which you can do from Delhi, Jammu And Srinagar.From Jammu one can go directly to pehalgam.This beautiful town is situated at
The height of 7200 feet above sea level. Pehalgam is a part of lidder valley and one can easily get lost in the natural beauty
of this area. This town is surrounded by thick deodar tress and the smell of these trees is blissfully intoxicating. The beautiful lidder river flows right through the town.Chandanwari
is around 16 kms from pehalgam and is situated at around
9500feet above sea level. One can walk through the distance or even drive up to chandanwari. Actual ascend starts from Chandanwari and the stretch between chandanwari to pissu top is indeed very steep and thus makes it really
difficult for the pilgrims.Pissu top is situated at the height of around 11500feet above sea level.From pissu top till amaranth cave one can hardly find trees. From pissu top till sheshnag(12000feet) It is relatively easy walk.Sheshnag lake is one of the most beautiful lakes I have ever seen. It’s crystal clear
blue waters are very soothing to eyes. According to Rajtarangni, there is another lake just above shashnag which is known as zamturnag(son-in-law of Sheshnag).The route from sheshnag to panctarni(12500feet) is easily the most difficult stretch
as one has to pass through Mahagunus top. Mahagunus means the great snake in kashmiri.This is the highest point of this yatra
and the height at Mahagunus top is 14800 feet above sea level. One finds exhausted at this height due to lack of oxygen.
The name of this top has been changed by India army to Mahaganesh top as they were not aware of the local history & culture and they could not understand kashmiri.From Mahagunus top till panctarni, the route is descending .Panchtarni is the last stop before amarnath cave.From panchtarni there is again ascend, but not as steep as pissu top or Mahagunus top. One has to pass through a glacier which is approximately half kilometer long, before one reaches the holy cave(13500 feet). Before having the darshan, one has to take a bath in Amravati river which flows right in front of the cave.Inside holy cave, there is a natural Ice linga of lord Shiva. According to local kashmiri legend which we have heard from our elders, It was here in this holy cave, lord shiva had narrated the story of secret of creation which makes one amar(immortal).Legend also says that there was a pair of pigeons(unlike some news channels which claimed that there were eggs of pigeons who heard the story?) who overheard this story and hence they also became”amar”. One more thing which I would like to share with you is that there has been occasions in the past when shiva linga was not formed(last year also same thing happened and again due to lack of local Kashmir history regarding this yatra the present governor Mr. Sinha had ordered an artificial linga which created controversy.Mr sinha is an able man & has done a lot for development of SASB-Sri amaranth shrine board ).One can go back through pehalgam or through a shorter route from baltal, which was earlier 14kms and now this distance is reduced to 12kms.From baltal one can go to srinagar.One should carry woolens for this yatra as the weather is really unpredictable. have a great journey……….

kashmir shaivism(trika philosophy)

 

Kashmir Shaivism(trika philosophy)

“Let Shiva, who is my Self, let Shiva do pranam (bow down) to his real nature – to Universal Shiva, by his own Shakti, for removing the bondage and limitation, which is Shiva.” BY Swami laksmanjoo

“Trika philosophy is situated in the heart of that supreme energy of God consciousness. It teaches you to realize that this whole objective world, which is already in front of you, is not separate from God consciousness. You do not have to realize God situated in some seventh heaven. God and the individual are one, to realize this is the essence of Shaivism.”by Swami laksmanjoo

 

 

Kashmir Shaivism flourished around 900 ce in Kashmir. Often Abhinavgupta is creditided for bringing out the philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism. Abhinavagupta, was the great Kashmirian Shaiva theologian. Abhinavagupta lived from about 975 to 1025 CE. His father Vimala and his mother Narasimhagupta conceived him in Kaula ritual. He was descended from Atrigupta, a brahman scholar brought to Kashmir by King Lalitaditya (c. 724 to 760). His father was a learned Shaiva and trained his son in grammar, logic, and hermeneutics. His mother died when he was a child and he considered this the start of his spiritual progress. Becoming filled with devotion to Shiva, he gave up thoughts of marriage and led the life of a student in the homes of Shaiva scholars.

The teachings of Kashmir Shaivism are derived from the ninety-two Tantras, also known as Agamas, revealed by Lord Siva in the form of a dialog between himself and the Divine Mother. Of these Tantras, sixty-four are considered purely monistic, eighteen are monistic-cum-dualistic, and ten are dualistic. Kashmir Shaivism derives its teachings from the sixty-four monistic Tantras, known as the Bhairava Tantras, the essence of which is called ‘Trika Shaivism’.

The philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism was passed on from master to disciple orally and Swami laksmanjoo was direct descendant in the unbroken chain of Masters of this oral tradition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAL DED

Lal ded is considered as one of the greatest Holywomen,Sufi,Yogi,poet of Kashmir.It is believed that Lal Ded was born in 1355 in Pandrethan to a Kashmiri Pandit family. Even as a child, Lalla was wise and religious-minded. She was married at the age of 12.Her mother-in-law was very cruel and treated her very badly.Even her husband treated her badly.She renounced the family at the age of 26 and became a devotee of lord shiva. Her verse are known as lal vakh in kashmiri and are a source of her wisdom as well as philosophy of Kashmir shaivism.

As on today Kashmir shaivism is on the verge of extinction and very few people are left who actually know this philosophy.

Some of the verses of lalleshwari(lal-ded) are written below:

Thousand times I asked my guru

A thousand times I asked my guru,
‘The name of the One who is known by No-thing’,
Tired and exhausted was I, asking time and again;
Out of Nothing emerged Something, bewildering and great

Coursing in emptiness

Coursing in emptiness,
I, Lalla,
dropped off body and mind,

and stepped into the Secret Self.

Look: Lalla the sedgeflower
blossomed a lotus.

For a moment I suppressed the bellows of respiration

For a moment I suppressed the bellows of respiration,
Lo and behold! The Lamp lit up brightly and I realized my Self!
The light within me sparkled out;
In the encompassing darkness, I seized at It and gripped It tightly

Give up imagining that the skill of killing desire, and meditating on the Self are too costly to buy;

He stands close by you

 

 

He stands close by you! Do not look for Him far away.
The void was dissolved in the Void!Searched for my self

searched for my Self
until I grew weary,

but no one, I know now,
reaches the hidden knowledge
by means of effort.

Then, absorbed in “Thou art This,”
I found the place of Wine.

There all the jars are filled,
but no one is left to drink.

 

 

There is neither YOU,nor I

There is neither you, nor I; neither the object of meditation, nor the process of meditation;
The Father of all action forgot Himself there.
The blind did not see any relationship and support there,
The devout merged with Him, the moment they saw the Lord!

WHEN MY MIND CLEANSED OF IMPURITIES

 

When my mind was cleansed of impurities, like a mirror of its dust and dirt,
I recognized the Self in me:
When I saw Him dwelling in me,
I realized that He was the Everything and I was nothing.

(these verses by lal-ded have been translated by Mr.B.N.Parimoo from kashmiri to english language.)