By Pawan Khera and Manish Khanduri
There have been many beautiful venues that the Yatris have had the privilege of walking through – beaches, mountain roads, through orchards and green fields – but Jammu and Kashmir just keeps upping the ante. Banihal was a simply incredible way to start the day’s walk – surrounded by snow covered mountains, the stepped fields leading up to slant roofed houses, and the winding highway running through. And to top it all the sun came out! “It was mind blowing” says Yatri Lalit Farswan. It was also the first day of the Yatra in Kashmir.
The signboard says it all
The morning’s walk was a comparatively short one, starting from the Railway Station Banihal to the break at the Banihal Toll Plaza about 3.5 kilometres away.
Even so there was a huge crowd that gathered to greet the Yatris. And as the #BharatJodoYatra got underway there were a large number of people running alongside, or simply watching the procession go by. The continuous chants of Bharat Jodo slogans were raised, added to the excitement.
A number of leaders came to support the Yatra this day, including former chief minister Omar Abdullah. The walk ended soon enough as the Yatris crossed the toll plaza and soon after they crossed the Banihal Qazigund Road Tunnel they were through into the next phase of the Yatra.
Easier said than done, as for once the Yatra paused. There was a large crowd waiting for the Yatris, a short distance from the tunnel. The facts of the matter have been laid out in the press, but it would be sufficient to recount a few critical details. There was a security lapse that resulted in a serious threat to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, which resulted in his having to cancel his participation in the second half of the Yatra.
Be that as it may, the Yatra continued and this is the point we wish to make. The Congress Seva Dal got underway and led the Yatra as usual. There was an immense crowd that continued the walk as has always happened in the Yatra. And the Yatris walked around 13 kilometres (from Army Goodwill Public School to their end point near Vessu Industrial estate, Anantnag) with energy and high spirits, as usual. The #BharatJodoYatra is a movement, it will go on regardless of any event or individual.
Of course that doesn’t mean that the Yatris didn’t take time off during the walk to drink much needed hot cups of tea, or quickly wolfed down plates of Maggie noodles. “The sun was out” says Yatri Jhabar Sherawat, “But it was cold, and hot tea is always welcome.” We agree.
We met Ghulam Hassan (left) and Mushier Ahmad standing side by side, “Yatra ke intezaar mein (waiting for the yatra).”
The Yatris were also buoyed by the presence of people waiting alongside the route, even in two feet of snow. We met Ghulam Hassan and Mushier Ahmad standing side by side, “Yatra ke intezaar mein (waiting for the Yatra).” Also waiting some distance off were Alisa and her friends who were there “to see Rahul Gandhi.”
Also waiting some distance off were Alisa (left) and her friends who were there “to see Rahul Gandhi.”
Thus ended an eventful day of the Yatra. There are three more left to go, when we raise the national flag in Srinagar.
As we have been doing the last few days in these diaries, today we’d like to acknowledge two individuals who have made a significant contribution to this diary. The information provided on a daily basis – with remarkable professionalism – by Varun Santhosh; and Vikram Srinivas has been one of the most important sources for this diary. And we’re not even talking about their contribution to the actual Yatra itself.
What did they like best about the Yatra?
Srinivas has “enjoyed every part of the Yatra – walking through so many different places, talking to people from all walks of life, facilitating interactions and even living in containers.”
Vikram Srinivas has “enjoyed every part of the Yatra – walking through so many different places, talking to people from all walks of life, facilitating interactions and even living in containers.”
And Santhosh? “The Yatra pushed me beyond my limits… for a cause much larger than an individual or the party.” he says.
Varun Santhosh says that “The Yatra pushed me beyond my limits… for a cause much larger than an individual or the party.”
Currently in Jammu and Kashmir, the Bharat Jodo Yatra is a five month, 3500 kilometre long Padyatra from Kanyakumari in the South of India to Kashmir up in the North. It is part of the party’s national mass outreach program aimed at highlighting social polarisation, economic inequalities and political centralisation.
Ground research: Aparna Ashwarya (INC Communications Department research team)
Travel Facts
1. Districts name: Srinagar, Anantnag
2. Amarnath Yatra, the famous religious Yatra of Hindus starts from Anantnag district.
3. Anantnag district is the birthplace of Rasool Mir, a poet of the 19th century known as the “John Keats of Kashmir.”
4. Anantnag district is known for Gabbeh and Namdah style of traditional weaving.
5. Srinagar district is known for picturesque sights, cascading lakes and beautiful waterfronts. The district is popularly known as the “Venice of the East.”
6. The Mughal Gardens of Jammu and Kashmir such as Nishat Bagh and Shalimar Bagh among the most ganoid the world over.
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