It seems we haven’t learnt any lessons from the incidents of stampedes and large scale killing of men and women. There were reports in the recent past about so many lives having been lost due to stampedes at religious places.
We were there in Himachal Pradesh to pay obeisance to Devis there. The day was Baisakhi and there were a large number of devotees lined up. As is the practice and ritual amongst the Hindus to feed and offer gifts to ‘Kanjaks’ — girls who are not married — some of the poor ones were present at every place. But to our utter shock these girls were chased and hounded by those who controlled the flow of the pilgrims.
Seeing the ‘kanjkas’ thus chased and charged with baton, there was a flutter and pandemonium every time these girls were seen around. They are there for some purpose. The devotees find them there and make ritualistic gifts of food and cash etc.
The security men creating a scene in running after them with lathes and dandas was a sight really disgusting. It can also cause panic and make a stampede like situation. And above all what kind of Hindus are we who witness such a scene right in our front on the one hand and on the other seek to perform ceremonies with the selfsame set of girls—the holy kanjaks. It’s high time some stock taking was done and methods improved.
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