Pilgrim Must Keep Silence While Standing In Front Of Amarnath Shivling, No Restriction On Daily Aartis, Other Rituals: Clarifies NGT [Read Orders]

A day after media reports about the National Green Tribunal banning chanting of mantras and jayakaras in Amarnath, the Tribunal on Thursday clarified that it is only while standing in front of the Amarnath Ji Maha Shivling – a natural formation in the cave — that a devotee shall maintain silence, barring during aartis, and that its order is to ensure there are no adverse impacts of noise, heat, vibrations etc. upon the Amarnath Ji Maha Shivling, so that the pilgrims coming in the later part of the pilgrimage are able to have darshan of the ‘Shivling’.

“Tribunal vide its order dated 13th December, 2017 has neither intended nor actually declared the entire area falling under the Amarnath Ji Shrine Board as a Silence Zone,” the bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar clarified on Thursday.

It expressly stated that the restriction on chanting of mantras etc at the cave is not applicable during daily aartis.

The bench had on Wednesday in its order said, “From the end point of stairs and area of the holy cave only shall be treated as silence zone.”

The order was reported widely and criticised by many on social media.

On Thursday, the bench once again took up the matter saying its order “has not been correctly reported at different quarters”.

“In order to avoid any ambiguity or misconception or misconstruing of our order, we consider it appropriate to clearly state the content of the earlier order of the Tribunal and what the Tribunal actually directed,” it said before passing the directions afresh as under:

1. The Tribunal, vide its order dated 13th December, 2017, has neither intended nor actually declared the entire area falling under the Amarnath Ji Shrine Board as a Silence Zone.


2. The only restriction the Tribunal had placed and which is now reiterated to provide complete clarity is that the devotee/pilgrim or anybody while standing in front of the Amarnath Ji Maha Shivling – a natural formation in the cave shall maintain silence at that place. This restriction is not applicable to any other part including the main stairs leading to the Holy cave.


3. On the last stairs proximately 30 steps leading to the holy cave, it should be ensured that no person/pilgrim/devotee carry any material as it is already the practice of the Board. We make it clear that the stairs which are below these stairs, we place no restriction of any kind.


4. The one way queue of visitors/pilgrim will be maintained at the Shrine.


5. These directions would be complied with by all concerned.


6. This direction in our considered view is required to maintain the sanctity and pristine condition of the holy cave on the one hand while on the other to ensure that there are no adverse impacts of noise, heat, vibrations etc. upon the Amarnath Ji Maha Shivling, so that the pilgrims coming in the later part of the limited period available to the pilgrimage are also able to have the Darshan of the Amarnath Ji Maha Shivling.


7. This restriction shall not apply to the daily aarti that is performed.

The matter will now come up for further hearing on January 18.

The bench, meanwhile, has also called for a rehabilitation plan for the horses and mules used in the pilgrimage, including the ones at Vaishno Devi, and also the pollution caused by them.

It also stressed on healthcare and providing of health care clinics enroute the pilgrimage.