Local view of the Amarnath tableau

Nobody questions a Muslim’s credentials to interpret Hindu rituals. The Amarnath Experience, in any case, acknowledges the locals’ role. Part of the cave-temple collection goes to a Muslim family, descendants of Buta Malik — a shepherd who, according to one tale, discovered the cave. And quite a few locals believe that good comes about from visiting it, whether one worships Shiva or not. “But we don’t talk much about it as it might be seen as going against the shariat,” says one shopkeeper. Other Kashmiris are less coy about local customs. Like Khaliq, who is part of the temple set-up and offers vibhuti to the pilgrims.

Call it Kashmiryat, Secularism or plain Commerce, the yatris and the locals are at their tolerant best most of the time. Just as the yatris need the local Kashmiris to complete their pilgrimage, the Kashmiris too can’t do without them. Particularly in these hard times when other tourists shy away from the state.

But business is bad this season, as Jalaluddin informs. He runs the Jai Ganesh Hotel and Restaurant at Panchtarni, six kilometres from the cave. The entire establishment consists of tents and a small dal-roti kitchen. “Last year, we had put up 28 tents, this year we have just eight,” he says. One reason why there are less crowds this year is that the yatra is open for 40 days, unlike the practically 10-day affair it had been reduced to during the past few years because of security reasons.

And it’s a wiser administration this season, having made better preparations for the pilgrimage. Though there are fewer pilgrims, about 40 percent more foodstuff has been moved up the route. There are also more doctors and paramedics than before. At each of the three major halts, Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni, the administration has space in its tents for 5,000 pilgrims. And there are extra tents and bedding rolls for emergencies.