Baltal: Liyaqat Khan along with three of his companions has been ferrying ailing and aged Amarnath Yatris on a palanquin to Amarnath Cave from Baltal camp and back on his middle-aged shoulders.
“The oxygen level dips during the trek. During the journey, the weather often changes unexpectedly from sunny to rainy to snowy,” Khan said. “Braving all odds, we ensure a safe journey to the yatris.”
Like Khan, Kashmiris are the major service providers for the Amarnath Yatra.
Besides taking the Amarnath Yatris on their shoulders to the cave shrine, local service providers also offer pony rides, provide tents, and have set up kiosks for the convenience of the yatris.
Like Khan, Muhammad Ayoub, takes the yatris to the cave shrine but unlike him he provides the service of a pony ride to them
“I have been taking the yatris to the Amarnath Cave shrine for many years. During the trek, I care more for the yatris than myself,” he said. “I am used to such high-altitude terrains but the yatris are not. I thank Allah when I drop them safely at the entrance of the cave.”
From Baltal, the route to the cave shrine through Domail, Barari Marg, and Sangam is very steep and difficult to trek.
While some yatris walk to the cave shrine, others take the services of the helicopter. Yet most yatris prefer ponies or while the old and elderly take palanquins.
Over the years, the Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir has been a symbol of communal harmony and brotherhood.
It is a yatra performed by the people of one faith and facilitated by the people of another faith.
“We have been coming here for years now to provide services to the Amarnath Yatris who reach the Baltal base camp and then leave for the Amarnath Cave shrine. Being hosts, we ensure that our guests don’t face any inconvenience. We also ensure their safety and successful yatra,” a local service provider, Muhammad Akbar said.
The yatris also hailed the Muslims for extending help to them.
A group of yatris from Uttar Pardesh said that the Amarnath Yatra offers the best lesson on how people should live.
“This is the best example and illustrates that we all should live in peace and harmony,” they said.
Ajay Sharma, a young devotee, said the Amarnath Yatra was a great example of inter-religious harmony.
“Muslims provide you with warm water to take a bath. They take you on their shoulders so that you reach the Amarnath Cave unhurt and provide you with the ponies for the hassle-free journey. This is simply remarkable,” Sharma said.
Mukesh Kumar, another yatri from Delhi, said that it was due to the cooperation and support of the Muslim community that his yatra had been successful.