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JAMMU, INDIA, July 12, 2004: Every year hundreds of sadhus gather in Jammu ahead of the Amarnath yatra in the state. Usually the administration makes arrangements, but this year, with most of them arriving in the city several days ahead of schedule, most facilities are lacking. Monsoon rains are in full flow and the stranded sadhus in Jammu are desperate for shelter. The lone flyover (highway overpass) is the only roof over them for the time being. Looking for shelter is part of their problems besides coping with other day-to-day issues. “Our problem is that, we don’t have a place to stay and we don’t have anything to eat,” said Mahant Kapil Dev, sadhu.



During the Amarnath yatra, Jammu city is the home of hundreds of sadhus but this year the problem is further compounded because while their registration will begin from July 13, many of them reached the city ahead of schedule. “Our registration has been stopped and we can’t make any movement. This is a big problem as we don’t get anything to eat or wear,” said Narayan Das, sadhu. Every year the sadhus are generally accommodated in the government community halls but these will be thrown open when the yatra officially takes off, something which is becoming a source of resentment for the sadhus. “If the administration says that they need the halls then we are in a position to open them. We do not have any problems. The yatra officially starts from July 15,” said D. R. Kapoor, CEO, Jammu Municipality. And as the official yatra dates come closer, the number of sadhus is only bound to increase. The greatest challenge before the administration would be to provide facilities to these people.

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