Shillong, Aug 6: Meghalaya will continue promoting tourism, and not religion, on the Mawsynram tourist site of Mawjymbuin cave despite threats by a fanatic hindu outfit from Assam that warns of blockade over a decision by the village authorities to stop religious worship inside the cave.
A little known outfit calling itself Kutumba Surakshya Parishad (KSP) on Tuesday threatened to go for road blockade against Meghalaya to register its protest against the ban on Hindi devotees from offering prayers at the Mawjymbuin Cave in Meghalaya.
The threat comes in the backdrop of last week’s decision by the Mawsynram Dorbar Shnong to halt any form of worship and offering of prayers inside the cave, which is famous for the stone structure that naturally forms into what the Hindu faith believes to be a “Shiva Ling”.
Spokesperson of the National People’s Party (NPP) HM Shangpliang reiterated the government’s intention to ensure Mawsynram, which is known as the ‘Wettest Place on Earth’ be preserved as a tourist destination and not a place of worship.
His statement came after tourists from outside the state had started converting Mawjymbuin cave at Mawsynram, East Khasi Hills as place of worship.
“On behalf of Mawsynram village and on behalf of the NPP party, I would like to say that the resolution taken and the decision taken by the Dorbar Shnong of Mawsynram to not to allow the Mawjymbuin Cave to be used as a place of worship, is fully endorsed by each one of us and also by the party,” Shangpliang told reporters.
That has not gone down well with the believers.
Addressing a press conference at Guwahati Press Club on Tuesday, Kutumba Surakshya Parishad (KSP) president Satya Ranjan Borah said: “We demand answers from Meghalaya government. Else, face situations like blockage of the roads to Meghalaya via Jorabat (Guwahati); Paikan (Goalpara) and all other roads.”
Seeking the intervention of the Prime Minister’s Office to exert pressure on Meghalaya chief minister for withdrawal of the ban, the KSP president tried to justify the demand for holding prayer rituals inside the cave as a religious requirement for Hindus on the occasion of the sacred month of Shraban.
“Mawjymbuin Cave consists of a naturally formed Shiv Ling and has been a place of worship and sadhana for Hindus living in Meghalaya. Even a large number of Lord Shiva worshipers visit the place to perform their Hindu rituals every year, especially in the month of Shravan,” claimed the KSP president.
Highlighting the issue of religion and tourism going hand in hand, he cited Kamakhya Temple in Assam, Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain (MP) and Tirupati Balaji temple in Andhra Pradesh which are both major religious and tourism destinations for lakhs of people.
That hasn’t cut any ice with the state and the stakeholders in Meghalaya given that Mawjymbuin Cave in Mawsynram has been in the tourism map of Meghalaya for a very long time and this tourist destination has attracted tourists from across the globe.
Shangpliang said that the tourism department has invested lakhs of rupees in the development and in creating infrastructure supports in providing basic amenities for the tourist, who come and visit the cave.
“This has not only facilitated in creating this destination to be famous but also it has enabled for the villagers to sustain their economy. This cave has helped the people of Mawsynram in earning their own livelihood” he added.
Mawsynram has two important caves which includes Mawjymbuin and Krem Puri which are considered as one of the longest caves that still need to be explore.
